Deeper Connection
by ShutUpAndPaddle
Summary: Everything was going so well for the couple due to wed, what could possibly go wrong? Warning: Lemon scenes & moderate language.
1. Chapter 1

**Deeper Connection**

**Chapter 1**

Zoë sat upon Horatio's desk with a grin on her face as Horatio spoke on the phone. He looked up at her with a smile on his face too as he fiddled with her fingers on her right hand, using his right. He saw her eyes glistening in the light as it shone through the window and bounced off them, it made him feel truly happy.

"Okay, I'll be right there." Horatio said as he hung up and then stood up, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

"Come on, we've got a call out." Horatio said as he stepped between her legs as she took hold of the lapels of his Hugo Boss suit jacket and pulled him closer. He placed his hands on her hips and raised his eyebrows at her with a boyish smile.

"Let's just stay here instead, please?" Zoë asked as she grinned up at him and closed her legs so her thighs were either side of his.

He tilted his head at her as he bent down, closer to him as she bit her lip and held it between her teeth with a very wide grin. "You know my answer to that already, why ask?" Horatio grinned down at her. She felt his minty breath hit her lips and she quivered, hearing his husky tone.

"I thought I'd give it a go." She whispered as she looked up and into his eyes as they dropped to her lips briefly. "Can't we just take our leave now? I'm too excited to think about work, I'm going to be Mrs Caine next week!" She grinned as she pulled him closer so his nose was touching hers. He raised one eyebrow and continued to look into her eyes.

"Unfortunately we can't do that, we've got 2 weeks off after next week." Horatio smiled as he moved his hands down her thighs to her knees to pull her legs apart to release himself.

"So?" She grinned up at him as she resisted against him as she quickly moved her head forwards and bit his bottom lip lightly. He chuckled lightly.

"Stop being cheeky and come on, I can't be late to the scene." Horatio said softly once he'd pulled his head away slightly.

She relaxed the muscles in her legs and let him push them from his thighs as he stepped back. "Okay, okay. I expect a reward later for being so well behaved though, please?" Zoë grinned as she began to swing her legs as she tilted her head, looking up at him mischievously.

"If you don't hurry up I'll end up punishing you for your not-so-good behaviour." Horatio grinned at her as he pulled her off his desk and then placed a quick playful kiss on her lips.

"I could work with either of those." She grinned as she quickly placed her hand on his ass as she stepped close. He raised his eyebrows again as he stepped away.

"Come on" Horatio smiled as he took hold of her hand. He smiled at her and then walked out with her. They stood in the lift and Zoë looked up at Horatio with a grin as she placed her hand back on his ass. He looked round to her and then smiled before she pushed him back against the elevator wall and began to passionately kiss him as she pushed both hands through his hair. She backed off as they arrived at the ground floor with a grin and flattened her jacket out.

"You are pushing it today, you know that, don't you?" Horatio smiled at her as he sorted his hair out quickly.

"I know, I think I've got that honeymoon buzz a week early." She grinned and then strolled out as if nothing happened. Horatio chuckled and then walked out after her and placed his hand on her lower back once he'd caught up with her.

"You know, we could start trying for a baby now, the wedding is next week, I'm not going to get any bigger if by some miracle we conceive on the first go." Zoë said softly as she glanced up at him.

"If you'd like to then I have no complaints." Horatio smiled down at her and she smiled as she took his hand and walked over to the hummer with him.

"Ah no, we can't… if I stop taking my pill, my period will start. We'll have to start after the honeymoon, is that okay?" She asked softly.

"Of course it is sweetheart." Horatio smiled at her and then held open the hummer door for her to climb in. He closed it once she was comfortably sat in the seat.

"Within the next month, we're marrying, honeymooning and trying for babies! This is going to be the best month of my life." She grinned at him and he chuckled as he pulled away and drove over to the body found at the shipping yard.

"Anyway, what have we got?" Zoë asked as she relaxed herself back into the seat.

"A man found stabbed to death at the shipping yards." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as she pouted slightly.

"Not going to be a pretty scene then." She sighed as she looked up at him sweetly.

"I doubt it." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded at him with a sigh and then paused.

"Oh well, it won't be long until I can get back into bed with you." She smiled at him and he chuckled as she placed her hand on his thigh.

They arrived at the scene and jumped out of the hummer, Eric and Walter weren't long after them. They got on with processing the scene and Eric noticed that Zoë was flirting a lot more with Horatio than usual and he back. Both often exchanged smiles, a lot more than usual mainly, or watched the other.

"I can tell that someone is excited." Eric smiled at her as they crouched together at a range of blood spatter on the floor beside a knife. Zoë exhaled a giggle and looked up at him as she picked the knife up after he'd got a photo.

"Who wouldn't be? We're getting married next week!" Zoë grinned at him and Eric chuckled and then noticed her look back over to Horatio.

"I think that's the 3rd time you've reminded me today." Eric smiled with a small chuckle and she glanced back with a chuckle herself as she nudged him with her shoulder playfully causing him to lose balance slightly. He quickly caught himself with a chuckle and nudged her back.

"Just making sure you don't forget." She smiled at him as she caught herself with a giggle.

"I feel like a child at Christmas, I am far too excited. I'm going to be his wife." Zoë grinned and Eric chuckled again.

"Who's wife again? I think you've left that piece of information out." Eric said sarcastically and she laughed.

"Shut up" she grinned widely. They carried on with processing, both trying their hardest to resist teasing the other.

"I'm going to be–" She began but Eric cut her off with a loud unrecognisable sound and she began to laugh once again.

"I'm sorry, what was that? Were you going to tell me what was happening next week and with whom?" He asked and she smiled.

"Just because you're not marrying him." Zoë giggled. "You're jealous." She grinned as she stuck her tongue out at him playfully.

"I'm green with envy. That's it, you've caught me Zoë. I'm going to have to kill you now you know that I want to marry Horatio instead, that is who you're marrying, isn't it? I think I forget." Eric said softly as Horatio walked up behind them and she began to laugh. They both glanced back when they heard him stop.

"Hi H, I hope you didn't hear that." Eric said shyly.

"Every word." Horatio replied as Eric stood with Zoë and chuckled lightly. "I'm sorry Eric, I'll have to decline your offer of marriage as I have a bride already waiting." Horatio said softly and Zoë giggled as she looked down as she lightly bit the tip of her tongue.

"She's all yours, H." Eric smiled softly as he moved away with a smile and put the swabs he'd collected into his kit.

"Zoë, are you ready head back, or do you want to ride with Eric?" Horatio asked softly as he looked over to her as she looked up at him with a wide smile.

"I'm ready, I'll be right with you." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded and then walked away and got into the hummer and patiently waited for her while she collected the samples. She put them in the back and then climbed into the hummer. They pulled off and began to have a pleasant conversation as they drove towards the exit of the shipping yard. Horatio swerved as a large black Range Rover sport drove towards them, fast. He managed to narrowly miss a nasty collision as they continued to drive.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

"Okay?" Horatio questioned as he placed his hand over Zoë's thigh as she raised a hand to the back of her neck. He looked over at her, worried that she'd hurt her neck.

"Yeah, are you?" Zoë asked as she turned her head and Horatio nodded and then looked over at the SUV as 2 other identical cars joined behind the hummer. Neither had noticed that he hummer hadn't stopped. Horatio saw men lean out of the passenger windows with machine guns and he immediately pulled off at speed as he picked up the radio and radioed for back up and gave them their location and the direction they were driving, as well as the number plates. Both of their heart rates had accelerated as they were pinned into the seats because of the speed they were travelling at.

"Slow down Horatio!" Zoë raised her voice as she took hold of the handle above her head and reached over to place her hand on his thigh, feeling the muscles straining each time he pressed down hard on the breaks.

"I can't, the breaks aren't working!" Horatio raised his back as two of the SUV's drove up to each side of the hummer. Both Horatio and Zoë glanced round to them, but couldn't see anything as the windows were completely blacked out.

"They have illegal tinting." Zoë said as she pulled her gun from her holster and checked the rounds briefly.

"I think the tinting is the least of our worries right now, Zoë." Horatio said softly as he continued to try the breaks but they wouldn't work. They felt the hummer jolt as the SUV behind them made contact with the back of the hummer. The SUV sped up, pushing the hummer more as the two cars beside them prevented Horatio from turning off.

"They're driving us into the sea, Horatio! What do we do?!" Zoë asked frantically as she dropped her gun into the foot well. Horatio pulled the radio up again and notified them of what was going on.

"Hang on in there H, we're on our way!" Eric said loudly down the radio. Horatio dropped the radio just as the hummers front wheels left the dock. They both swallowed as they looked around to each other and let their eyes connect as the rest of the hummer left the dock and began to nose dive.

"Brace yourself, I love you." Horatio said as he reached over and put his arm across her chest in hope that it would keep her safer when they hit the water.

"I love you" Zoë said as she looked into his terrified blue eyes. He pushed back on her chest to keep her firmly in the seat as they fell through the air, awaiting impact. They looked out of the front windscreen and saw the blue sea coming closer and closer. As the car made impact, they were knocked out instantly through the sheer momentum that carried their bodies forward even when the hummer had come to a halt and began to slowly sink, the seat belts offered some resistance, but the dash-board and steering wheel had been pushed towards them as the heavy hummer hit the water.

The 3 black SUV's quickly made a getaway while Eric, Walter and patrol were on their way.

"What was that?!" Walter questioned when they heard the hummer hit the water. They pulled up at the location where Horatio said they were heading and then got out of the car and stood around to look.

"Where did they go?" Walter questioned as both he and Eric stood on the spot and turned. Eric walked over to the edge of the dock and saw the hummer being devoured by the blue ocean.

"We need ambulances and fire & rescue now!" Eric shouted as he threw his phone and gun on the floor and flicked his shoes off before diving into the sea. The hummer continued to slowly sink as Eric's body pierced the surface of the water. Eric swam down and pulled at Horatio's door. His eyes were severely stinging from the salt water, but he couldn't take his eyes of either Zoë or Horatio who sat still strapped into their seats as they sat there unconscious. He could see the water turning red around their heads and knew that both had head wounds instantly. He managed to prise Horatio's door open once the entire hummer had filled with water, equilibrating the pressure. He quickly swam in and pulled both of their seatbelts off. He pulled one of Zoë's legs free as it had been pinned between the seat and dashboard. He then grabbed Zoë's arm and pulled her over to him. He then grabbed Horatio's arm and pulled them out of the hummer as his need for air began to multiply dramatically as panic set in. He pushed off the hummer as it continued to sink. He dragged both of them up to the surface. He gasped for air as he reached the surface and pulled both Horatio and Zoë up and pulled them closer to him with their backs against his chest and their heads on each shoulder.

"Help! I need some help!" Eric shouted as he began to sink again as he was only using his legs to keep all 3 of them afloat. Walter dropped his phone and gun and jumped in and surfaced as he frantically splashed at the water.

"You can't swim!" Eric shouted at him.

"Yeah, well I can't be any worse than them, can I?!" Walter shouted as he continued to wave his arms and legs frantically to keep himself a float.

"Take Horatio, we need to get them up that ladder." Eric shouted as a patrol officer threw a life ring down to Walter. He grabbed hold of it as Eric handed Horatio to him.

"Try and be careful, he could have serious injuries." Eric said as he frantically swam over to the ladder with Walter following. Eric pulled Zoë up and put her over his shoulder in a fire-man's lift as he began to scramble up the ladder. Walter tried lifting Horatio but he was too heavy once most of his body was out of the water.

"Put the ring around him." An officer shouted and Walter put the ring around Horatio and they helped pull Horatio up as Walter also put him over his shoulder. Walter got up and then laid Horatio on the ground beside Zoë as Eric began mouth-to-mouth on her.

"Check for breathing and pulse and then start CPR if he isn't breathing." Eric ordered before he gave Zoë another rescue breath. Walter checked but couldn't feel anything.

"I can't feel anything." Walter panicked.

"CPR, 5 initial rescue breaths because they've basically drowned." Eric ordered.

"I can't" Walter panicked more. Eric quickly gave Zoë one last breath and called for officers to start chest compressions on her. Eric quickly gave Horatio mouth-to-mouth as the ambulance turned up.

"There's only 1?!" Eric shouted as both paramedics ran over to them.

"There's two casualties?" One paramedic asked and Eric nodded.

"Zoë Chambers and Horatio Caine, went into the sea in their hummer, they've been unconscious since I pulled them out. Neither are breathing, I think Zoë had a pulse but I can't feel anything now. She has a pacemaker, she has a heart problem, she also has asthma. Horatio doesn't have any medical conditions." Eric said frantically as he continued chest compressions as both paramedics split.

"Jessop, stay and help with Zoë." Eric ordered and officer Jessop nodded and helped the paramedic. The paramedic treating Horatio cut his shirt off and shocked him with the defibrillator after intubating him and telling Eric to squeeze the bag to aid his breathing. Every officer watching felt like their hearts had stopped.

"Come on, H!" Eric said loudly as he rhythmically pushed air into his lungs. The paramedic cut Zoë's shirt and bra off and dried her chest and then attached the defibrillator after Horatio's heart rate had returned. They managed to get Zoë's heart rate back while Jessop pushed air into her lungs using the ambu-bag.

"We need another unit." One paramedic said to the other.

"We don't have time, we need to get them in now." The other paramedic said.

"Okay, we'll collar and board both and then get them into the ambulance, are you able to assist us?" The paramedic tending to Horatio asked Eric who nodded at him.

"Keep pushing the air into his lungs." The middle-aged paramedic said as he got up and rushed over to the ambulance and pulled two boards, collars and blocks. With the help of officers, they managed to get Zoë and Horatio onto the boards safely while one paramedic pushed air into Zoë's lungs while Eric assisted with Horatio's breathing. They loaded both into the ambulance after covering them both with blankets.

- "I would love to go back to the Seychelles sometime, that was a magical honeymoon, handsome." Zoë said as she took hold of Horatio's left hand and looked down at his ring. He looked up at her with a blissful smile, studying her radiant eyes.

"We will definitely go back there, perhaps for our anniversaries?" Horatio asked as he gently gripped her hand and glanced down to their hands, to see the ring sitting upon her ring finger on her left hand by her engagement ring.

"I really like that idea." She smiled at Horatio and then ran her thumb over his ring as she bit her lip. They looked up at the waiter as he walked over and presented them with a bottle of red wine. Horatio gave him a nod and then watched the waiter pour the wine elegantly. The waiter left after placing the bottle in a bucket of ice in the middle of the table. Horatio took a sip of the wine and then looked to Zoë as she took a sip.

"That is beautiful." Zoë smiled as she placed the wine glass back on the table and Horatio smiled as he placed his glass back down on the coaster.

"You have a fantastic taste, we should have wine more often." Zoë grinned at him as he took hold of both of her hands, she glanced down to his hands as they engulfed hers on the dark burgundy table cloth, in between two lit candles. She looked up at him and studied his truly happy expression.

"So, Mrs Caine, what would you like to do after we're done here? We can do anything you want, it's your choice." Horatio smiled as he skimmed his thumbs over her knuckles.

"I would like to have a relaxing evening in my husband's arms." She smiled at him and he smiled back. They couldn't help but grin at each other.

"That sounds like the perfect evening in my mind." Horatio said sweetly and she nodded with a shy smile as she glanced down and bit her lip lightly. Her hands took a bit of a tighter hold on his as she looked back up at him.

"That's because it_ is_ the perfect evening." She shyly smiled as she wisped her fringe from her eyes and then took another sip of the wine.

"It's even better the second time round." She smiled at Horatio and he nodded and took another sip from his glass. They sat back as their food was served and continued to smile at each other.

"This is probably the most perfect point in my life right now." She smiled naturally at him.

"I couldn't agree more." He smiled at her and then took a sip of the wine. They ate, having a pleasant conversation and had their plates cleared once finished.

"This is a beautiful evening too, the sun going down behind the horizon always has a spectacular feeling, coupled with you and this food and wine, it can't possibly get any better!" Zoë grinned at him as she looked from the beach front and horizon to Horatio who continued to smile at her, she loved his dreamy smile, the smile that caused butterflies in her stomach to develop. She knew he was head-over-heels for her and she felt the exact same way about him.

"The best view I will ever see is right in front of me." He smiled as he glanced down at her in the silk red halter neck dress with the necklace that she never takes off. He studied the ringlets in her hair as she smiled shyly at him and bit her lip as she tilted her head. She looked down at the red wine in her glass and concentrated on it, shyly.

"You are beautiful Zoë and I'm going to tell you every single day of my life and I hope that one day you'll believe me." Horatio said softly and she let out a small nervous giggle as her eyes connected with his again.

"I mean it." Horatio said tenderly as he leant over and picked her left hand up and kissed the ring that sat upon her ring finger. Her smile developed into a natural smile as she watched him sit back in his chair.

She removed her right hand from his grip to take hold of her glass again. "Thank you Horatio." She smiled as she took another sip of the wine. She looked down at his suit and burgundy shirt before she gave him a wink and placed her glass down.

"You look handsome and gorgeous just like usual." She smiled at him and he looked down with a smile as his grip tightened slightly on her left hand.

"What would you like for dessert?" Horatio asked softly as he looked back up to her and released her hand as he pulled the dessert menu from the side of the table.

"Just you, later." She said with a smile and Horatio looked up at her with a smile.

"I mean food wise." He said softly as he flipped them menu over to see what they had to offer.

"I wouldn't like anything thank you. I just want to get you home." She smiled sweetly at him and he gave her a nod as he put the menu back, he didn't fancy anything himself.

"Your wish is my command." Horatio said softly as he took hold of her left hand again. They quietened down, talking to each other silently through their eyes and hands. They fiddled with each other's fingers while they finished the glass of wine, he then asked for the bill as the waiter picked up their glasses. The waiter brought the bill out and Horatio quickly paid and then stood as the waiter left.

"We'll save these for later." Horatio smiled as he picked up the two after-eight chocolate mints that laid upon the silver platter on which the bill was served. She couldn't help but let a bright grin appear across her face as she took his hand and stood up. He pushed the chair in after her and then picked up the bottle of wine for another time. They then walked out together, arm in arm, both with grins, however, Zoë's grin was somewhat a little more euphoric due to the wine. They walked over to Horatio's car and he opened the door for her and then made sure her dress was in before he closed it again.

"You know, most people lose their gentlemanly personality after they wed. You still seem to have yours very much intact." She smiled at him and he smiled at her as he put the key in the ignition.

"You only deserve the best, so my best is what I'll always give you." Horatio smiled sweetly at her as he turned the keys in the ignition. She leant over and placed a passionate kiss on his lips as her hand snaked into his hair and held the back of his head.

She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes. "If I could physically give you my heart, I'd rip it out of my chest right now." Zoë said softly and Horatio chuckled.

"I feel the same way." Horatio smiled at her as they reversed back, just as Zoë sat back in her seat.

"I have to actually pinch myself when I'm with you just to remind myself that I'm not actually in a dream world and that you're real. You're too perfect, you're too good." Zoë said as she gave him a dreamy smile as she fiddled with both rings on her left hand.

"What we're going to do later may not be deemed good, it's probably better described as bad." Horatio grinned at her and she laughed loudly, as she reached over and placed her hand on his thigh with a beaming smile.

"See, my perfect, handsome man."

They arrived home and quickly went upstairs. Horatio placed his jacket on the side as Zoë tied her hair up as she stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself. Horatio had undone his buttons and cuffs as he walked over to Zoë and stood behind her. Her eyes moved from her body to his face as he looked down at his hands. He took hold of her zip as he looked at her in the mirror. She looked back into his eyes and they could feel the connection. He slowly pulled the zip down and then ran his fingertips down her spine and she could feel her skin tingle. He quickly took his trousers off and threw them into the washing bin as she watched him. He pulled the neck of the dress over her head and then slowly let it fall down to her ankles. He watched it fall from her hips and he immediately came alive in his boxers. He stepped up close behind her and could feel her skin against his.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered into her ear and then kissed the skin just below her ear while she stood there, encapsulated in his hold. He placed his hands on her stomach and then very gently moved them lower as he pulled her back against him. Her insides felt like they were melting under his intense touch. He took hold of the sides of her underwear and pulled and felt the lace expand. He kissed at the nape of her neck and then pushed the lace from her hips. He looked over her shoulder as he continued to kiss at her neck and saw her eyes on his, her breathing a little deeper than usual. He could see the words that she wanted to say to him but he knew she was too caught up in the moment to say them.

"I love you too." He whispered as he moved his right hand to her inner thighs. She gasped when she felt him touch her in the right spot and felt every single nerve send a pulse of signal to her brain. She practically convulsed under his light touch. She could feel her skin becoming sensitive to even the lightest touch as well as every single nerve coming alive with an intense burning desire for Horatio. He quickly pulled his boxers down and then stepped out of them and pressed himself up against her lower back.

"Shall we get into bed?" Horatio whispered with his lips against her ear and she nodded at him as she felt his hands skim over her stomach. He took her hand and then turned her and gently pulled her over to the bed. He turned her so she had her back to the bed and then lifted her and placed her down on the bed and then crawled up and then placed a kiss on her lips. He sat up and sat between her legs as he leant over her and placed his hands on her breasts. She felt the palms of his hands over her hard nipples and she took a deep breath as he moved his hands and ran the backs of his fingers over them.

"Mmm" she murmured as she felt the muscles tightening in her core already. He then moved his hands to her waist and began to kiss the middle of her chest. She ran her fingers through his hair and exhaled another groan even though he was barely touching her. She felt his mouth move closer to her left breast but he quickly moved away.

"Please Horatio." She begged him and he moved back over to her left breast and placed a light kiss on her taught nipple. She practically convulsed again and he did the same with her right. He went back to kissing the middle of her chest and then trailed kisses down to her belly button but didn't go further.

"Further, please." She begged him and he looked up at her, shocked.

"Please, Horatio, go further." She asked him and he looked back down to her stomach as he moved his hands to her knees and pulled them up higher. He spread his fingers as he ran his hands slowly up her inner thighs, closer to her sex. He kissed once below her belly button and looked up at her, unsure if she really wanted him to. '_Zoë wouldn't ever ask me to do this, certainly not so quickly anyway. Would she? She'd need to do it step by step, not all in one go. Perhaps she trusts me completely? Perhaps she just feels completely at ease with me?'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Please Horatio, lower." She begged him and he then placed another kiss a little further down, then another. He kissed her pubic bone and then looked up at her, still unsure if he was going too far.

"Horatio, please" she begged him and he place another kiss on her pubic bone and felt the hairless skin beneath his lips. He moved down and kissed her love button, she convulsed again and let out a loud groan. He kissed her there again and found that she gave the same response. He kissed her lower again and heard the groan she let out and he could feel the muscles in her thighs tensing from desire. He opened his mouth and ran his tongue down from the top of her love button to her waiting entrance. She quickly pulled him back up and pushed him onto his back and then sat on his hips. He feared he'd gone too far.

"Thank you Horatio. Thank you so much." She moaned as she kissed him on the lips and looked into his eyes. '_She's thanking me?'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"I'm no longer on the pill, I'm not protected." She said breathlessly as she placed her hands on his chest and looked down into his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked and Horatio nodded.

"I've never been so sure in my life." He said quietly as he looked up into her eyes and a smile appeared across her face. He rolled her back over and then reached for his jacket.

"I had something in mind for these after-eights." Horatio smiled down at her and she smiled up at him cheekily.

"Care to show me?" She asked as he threw his jacket to the floor. He took the packets off as he sat between her legs and then leant over her and kissed one of her breasts. She felt his tongue torturing her nipple and she cried out as pleasure surged through her body. He quickly placed a chocolate there and then did the same to the other breast, causing her to cry out again as her hands pushed through his hair.

"Keep them there, or I'll have to do something about it." Horatio smiled down at her and she nodded as she looked up at him with anticipation. He kissed her as he leant over her again and she felt him touch her again, but she wasn't sure if it was his fingers or if it was his hard length. She then felt him put one finger in and she exhaled as he moved to the side and placed his palm against her love button. He leant over her and kissed her. She felt him introduce another finger and she groaned into his mouth.

"Keep still, those chocolates will fall and get these cream sheets dirty otherwise." Horatio grinned.

"You're naughty." She gasped and he nodded at her.

"I told you that what I had in mind was bad." He grinned and she then let out a moan as her hips involuntarily bucked. Horatio stilled his hand and let her calm down.

"Please make love to me." She begged him, for some reason she could feel herself unwinding quicker, it was perhaps due to the fact that she couldn't move.

"I will, we're just building up right now." Horatio said softly.

"There's something so erotic about knowing I'm not protected, so erotic and romantic about making a baby with you. I swear it's multiplying these sensations." Zoë groaned as his hand started to move again but she quickly bucked her hips again and he removed his fingers from her and pulled a tissue from the side.

"Well done, you kept the chocolates there." Horatio said as he bent down and licked one up, catching her nipple in the process and she groaned again. He moved up to her and held the chocolate between his teeth and looked down at her. She quickly took the chocolate from his mouth using hers and he quickly whipped the other one up and ate it before he licked at her nipples more, getting rid of the excess chocolate. He kissed her again and then lowered himself onto her and kissed her passionately. She ran both hands through his hair and felt him push up against her entrance. She could feel him slowly adding more force as he very slowly entered her. She exhaled heavily as he smoothly glided into her as she placed her hands around the back of his neck. She groaned louder when she felt him re-enter her deeply. He opened his eyes when he felt her breathing become deeper and ragged and could see her coming unhinged already. She opened her eyes and looked up into his sparkling blue eyes and kissed him once she pulled his head down to her.

"Oh gosh" she groaned against his lips as he continued his devilishly slow pace. She bit his lip and tried to pick the pace up by moving her hips faster. He continued to look into her eyes as he felt the pleasure race through his body, pushing his heart rate to its limits.

"Come into me, Horatio." She begged him and he looked down at her shocked again, but he continued. He picked his pace up and felt her body stiffen as she pushed her head back into the pillow as her hands made their way to the sides of his chest. He kissed at her neck as his chest rubbed against hers.

"I want your baby, Horatio." She groaned and he pushed into her harder, she was sending his desires sky high, higher than they'd ever been before.

"I want to have a baby with you, Zo." Horatio groaned as he pushed into her again. She cried out in pleasure as he hit the right spot.

"Arhh" she exhaled after every short gasp. Horatio picked up the driving of his hips and could feel himself coming close. He felt her hands press on his chest.

"Horatio, oh gosh Horatio!" She screamed as she felt the pleasure surge through her body like a tsunami. Horatio pushed into her one last time and felt himself release into her. He collapsed against her body and then rolled over and pulled her over with him.

"I love you." He said as she kissed his lips after a few moments.

"I really love you." She said as she continued to kiss him. He pulled out of her and looked up at her as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I hope we conceive really quickly." Zoë said as she relaxed against his body, placing her head on his shoulder.

"Me too." He agreed as he ran his fingers up and down her back.

"That was truly extraordinary." She said as she looked into his eyes after she lifted her head from his shoulder.

"It really was. Thank you for trusting me, Zoë." He said softly.

"I feel like I can do anything with you, I think that's just proved it and I said that word in that context." She said as she looked down into his eyes. He planted a passionate kiss on her lips and then pulled back.

"Shower?" Horatio asked.

"Can I have a shower? It won't wash out the… you know, will it?" Zoë asked.

"No sweetheart, just don't wash in there and you'll be fine." Horatio said softly and she nodded.

"Okay, thank you." She smiled at him and then got up. He followed her into the shower and then changed with her. They climbed back into bed and fell asleep in each other's arms.

4 weeks later, Horatio was in the study on the phone one evening when Zoë came running in.

"Horatio! Horatio!" She called frantically and he quickly turned and dropped the phone fearing that she was hurt or something was wrong. His heart rate increased twice the speed it usually is as his eyes widened.

"I'm pregnant Horatio! I'm pregnant!" She squealed as she pulled him up, out of the chair and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"That's fantastic Zoë!" Horatio said, completely forgetting about the phone as a beaming grin pulled the corner of his lips ear-to-ear.

"I just found out, I took a test, I didn't want to tell you in case I wasn't pregnant." She said quietly as she looked up at him, furrowing her eyebrows, worried that he wouldn't be happy with her taking the test behind his back. But Horatio just kissed her with a wide smile. They put their foreheads together and closed their eyes.

"I'm going to make an appointment with Nathan so we can see how many weeks I am." She grinned with her eyes closed, he was speechless again, so he just kissed her once more and then rubbed her nose with his as he moved his hands to her waist. '_She's pregnant, we're having a baby.'_ Horatio thought to himself, overwhelmed by thoughts.

"Anyway, I'm really sorry for disturbing your work." Zoë apologised as she pulled away, worried that he was in the middle of something important as she furrowed her eyebrows once more.

"You can disturb me during anything for news like that." Horatio smiled at her and she kissed him again as she wrapped her arms tighter around him and put her forehead against his again with an ecstatic grin, this time they kept eye contact.

"I'm taking you off work, it's your decision if you'd like me to take time off too." Horatio said softly as he moved his hands from her waist to the centre of her spine and back, many times.

"Can you take half the week off please? The other half I want Skyler on high alert." She said softly and Horatio nodded as he rested his hands back on her waist as he pulled her hips to his and looked down at her stomach.

"Are you sure you don't want me to leave?" Horatio questioned as he looked back up at her, warmly.

"No, you stay working." She said as she looked up at him and ran a hand through his hair and he nodded with a smile.

"Okay, I'll do this tomorrow." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she tilted her head with bright smile as she moved her hand from his hair to his cheek as she bit her lip.

She watched him glance back down to her stomach again. "We're pregnant!" Zoë said as tears began to roll down her cheeks as she took two fistfuls of his shirt once she removed her hand from his cheek. He looked up at her with a smile and then furrowed his eyebrows at her once he saw the beads of tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Happy tears, don't worry." She grinned as Horatio wiped them with both hands and then kissed her again with his palms against her cheeks. She smiled as she pulled back slightly, her hands were even shaking slightly from pure excitement and happiness.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself before she looked over to his desk. "What happened to the phone?" Zoë questioned when she didn't see the phone on the desk as she wiped her right eye with the back of her right hand.

"Eric, I completely forgot." Horatio murmured as he turned around and picked up the phone from the carpeted floor behind him.

"Eric?" Horatio questioned as he frowned.

"Yeah, still here H. Congratulations." Eric said softly. Horatio pulled Zoë closer and hugged her as a wide smile replaced the frown.

"Thank you Eric." Horatio said as he rubbed Zoë's back as she put her arms back around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder as she grinned over at the window.

"I'll let you get back to Zoë."

"Thank you, I shall see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." Eric said before they hung up, Horatio put his phone back into his pocket and then looked down at Zoë with an ear-to-ear grin.

"Eric says congratulations." Horatio said softly and Zoë grinned with excitement and then bit her lip, her eyebrows couldn't go any higher as her smile could not grow anymore.

"We're having a baby!" Zoë grinned as she jumped on the spot and gazed into his eyes. He placed his right hand over her stomach and looked up at her.

"We are" Horatio said quietly, feeling a small lump in his throat from the sheer emotion and happiness that they both emitted, her happiness was driving his more so.

"As Eric knows, I need to tell Joe now, is that okay?" Zoë asked as she placed her hand over his on her stomach.

"Of course sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she quickly kissed him and then rushed out and picked her phone up, almost dropping it in the process. She fumbled with it and pressed the dial button under Joe's name and then held the phone to her ear as she stood in the hall.

"Hey Zoë, everything okay?" Joe answered his phone and she froze.

"Zoë?" Joe asked again softly and then heard her take a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant Joe! We've just found out!" She squealed down the phone as she jumped for joy as Horatio stood at the study door and watched her with a wide smile of his own.

"Say that again? You went ultrasonic." Joe said calmly, but he had a feeling about what she said.

"Sorry, I'm pregnant, we've just found out." Zoë said calmer as she stood still and began to twirl a strand of hair around her finger. Horatio smiled as he looked down at the tiled flooring. He crossed his arms as he leant against the door frame and tilted his head as he closed his lips together and continued to smile. Zoë flicked the hair from her hand and began to play with items on the table by the front door, she fiddled with Horatio's keys mainly.

"That's fantastic news Zoë! Congratulations to you both, when's your scan?" He asked softly.

She then picked up a photo frame from the table and studied the picture of herself and Horatio on the beach together. "I'm going to call Nathan tomorrow, and thank you Joe." She smiled as Horatio walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her as he placed his chin on her shoulder.

"Let me know how you get on, won't you? I'll come down to see you very soon." Joe said softly.

He placed both hands over her stomach and then felt her place her left hand over his left as he kissed at the back of her neck once. "Of course I will, thank you Joe." She grinned as she skimmed the tips of her fingers up and down Horatio's fingers.

"Anyway, get back to Horatio, I know you're itching too." Joe said softly and then heard her squeal as she nodded and rubbed her cheek against Horatio's.

"Thank you, I'll see you soon Bunny." She grinned.

"See you soon Bunny." He replied and she then hung up and turned into his arms and wrapped her arms around him tightly again.

xxxxxxx

Zoë was coming up 20 weeks and was sat on the sofa with Horatio and Joe, she was sat between Horatio's legs as he rubbed her stomach after she pulled her top up to expose her larger stomach. Zoë quickly pushed Horatio's hand away and placed her hand over her stomach. He frowned slightly as he placed his hand down on the sofa, thinking he'd hurt her. Joe glanced over and saw the frown on Horatio's face but saw the very wide excited smile on Zoë's.

"She's kicking! Horatio, she's kicking!" Zoë almost shouted excitedly as she pulled his hand back up and placed it over the right side of her stomach as she sat up and turned to place her feet on the floor as she looked over to him. She watched his frown disappear as his face lit up with happiness as he pressed a little harder on her stomach to really feel the fluttering. She pulled him closer to her and placed a steamy kiss on his lips and then pulled back to look into his eyes with a smile. She then looked back to Joe and grabbed his wrist and placed his hand over her stomach next to Horatio's. She studied his face and saw a smile she'd never seen him produce before. He looked utterly amazed.

"That's a kick?" Joe asked as he looked to Zoë and she nodded as she briefly bit her lip.

"Yeah!" She squealed happily as she beamed a brilliant smile.

"That's beautiful." Joe said as he looked down to her stomach amazed.

"Have you felt a baby kick before?" Zoë asked warmly and Joe shook his head as he looked back up at her, allowing his eyes to connect with hers.

"First one" Joe smiled as he removed his hand and let Horatio get a better feel.

"Aww, even better!" She grinned and then kissed Horatio again as she turned around. She then leant back on Horatio as she placed her hand back over her stomach after Horatio had removed his hand. He then placed his hand back just next to hers and felt the light fluttering continue. He then moved his hand down to her lower abdomen, mainly to get a feel of her silky smooth skin.

"I think she loves her Daddy already, she's following your hand." Zoë grinned up at Horatio and he smiled at her and then kissed her forehead as he moved his hand back up next to hers.

xxxxxxx

Zoë woke early one morning during her 22nd week of pregnancy, she went to the loo and came back out and sat on the bed and looked over to Horatio. He'd woken and looked up at her warmly, tiredly and then watched her burst into tears as she covered her face with both hands.

Horatio quickly sat up. "Come here sweetheart." Horatio said as she crawled over to him, he hugged her tightly and soothed her until her tears eventually stopped flowing, she sat on one of his thighs as she cried into his bare shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Horatio asked softly as he gently rubbed her back.

"I don't want her to be taken from us." Zoë cried as she ran her hand through his soft hair roughly. He felt her tears wetting his shoulder.

"She's not going to be taken from us. I'll put in for some leave in the morning, okay? I promise you that nothing will happen to her." Horatio said as he soothed her and she nodded as she sat back and pressed her lips together with a haunted expression.

"I promise you Zoë, nothing's going to happen to you or our little girl." Horatio said confidently as he placed his right hand against her cheek and caught the tear that was about to fall from the corner of her eye.

"Thank you Horatio." She said softly as she placed her hand over his and closed her eyes for a moment, composing herself. They slowly slunk back down into bed and Horatio rubbed her stomach as he watched her fall back to sleep, giving her a sense of security.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

During her 32nd week, Horatio walked into the bedroom to see her in hysterics once again as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"Zoë sweetheart, you should have called me up." Horatio said as he quickly walked over to her and pulled her close and rubbed her back as he sat himself. He placed his chin on the top of her head as she placed one of her hands on his thigh as she placed the other on his upper back.

"I can't find the matching sock." She cried and Horatio exhaled gently and lifted his chin from her head and lowered his head to place his lips against her forehead as he gently kissed her. He saw the black and purple patterned sock on the floor.

"Don't worry sweetheart. How about a different pair of socks?" Horatio asked warmly and she nodded. He took the sock from her and then walked over to her draw and pulled out a matching pair of socks and then put them on for her as he crouched in front of her. She calmed herself down as she watched him pull them on for her.

"Thank you Horatio, I'm sorry for crying about socks but I couldn't help myself." Zoë said as she looked up at Horatio as he stood and dried her tears.

"Don't worry sweetheart, it's nothing to apologise about." Horatio said as he ran a hand through her hair.

"Breakfast?" Horatio asked and she nodded, he gently took her hand and helped her up.

"She's going to be as big as me when she comes, I swear it." She said as she continued to dry her tears and walked down the stairs with Horatio by her side.

They walked into the kitchen and Zoë's eyes concentrated on the two plates that sat on the counter. "You made pancakes?" Zoë questioned as she looked over to him and he nodded with a gentle smile. She looked back to the pancakes and saw them steaming hot as the kitchen held a delicious aroma. "You're such an angel!" She said as she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled at his neck, happily. He helped her to sit at the counter and placed a plate of pancakes in front of her.

"You're not having sugar and syrup though, you can have a small amount of one of them." Horatio said softly and she chuckled as she reached over for the syrup.

"You have a choice of fruit too." Horatio said softly as he got them both a glass of orange juice.

"Do we have lemons?" She asked and Horatio nodded and then quickly cut up some lemons. He placed them on a tea plate in front of her and she picked up a quarter of the lemon and squeezed it into her mouth, rather than on the pancakes.

"I thought you were putting them on your pancakes, not eating them like that." Horatio laughed as he sat at the island counter with her.

"No, I love lemons." She grinned at him as she picked up another and quickly squeezed it into her mouth again.

"You're the first person to ever do that in front of me" Horatio smiled at her and she laughed again as he began to eat his pancakes. She ate the pancakes and finished the lemons.

"Thank you!" She beamed at him as he picked their plates up.

"We need to go shopping soon, we don't have any baby stuff and I'm about ready to burst..." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded.

"We'll go this weekend if you're feeling up to it?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she finished the orange juice.

"This weekend sounds great." She smiled as she placed the glass on the counter as she got up and then put it in the dishwasher.

"Can we also get some paint? I'd like to paint her room pink, if you're okay with that?" Zoë asked and Horatio nodded.

"Of course sweetheart" Horatio smiled and Zoë squealed with excitement.

"I know we should have gone a long time ago, but I think I would have panicked because I'd somehow convince myself that we were jinxing the pregnancy. I'm not superstitious or anything, but I know I'd worry myself." She said softly as she waddled over to him with a smile. He nodded and placed his hands on either side of her stomach.

xxxxxxxx

It was her 33rd week and Horatio woke one Saturday morning.

"Good morning beautiful." Horatio greeted as he rolled over to her and placed a loving kiss on her lips.

"Good morning handsome, she's also saying good morning." Zoë smiled at him as she looked over to him. Horatio smiled and then rubbed her belly as she bit her lip, she loved feeling his hands on her stomach.

"She's kicking here." Zoë said as she moved Horatio's hand as she grinned up at him, so thrilled to see his gentle, happy expression. "I love feeling her kick. I've been awake since 6 just feeling her move around while you slept peacefully." She smiled as she looked over to Horatio and he smiled back. "I'm going for a bath." She said softly and Horatio nodded as he removed his hand from her stomach and laid on his back for a moment. She slowly sat up and let out a small quiet moan. Horatio quickly sat up with her and began to rub her back.

"Thank you." She said as she closed her eyes and felt his hands massage her back.

He felt her relax a few minutes later. "Okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded.

"Thank you, handsome." She said softly as she glanced back at him. He gave her a nod and then kissed her before getting up with her.

"You don't have to assist me to the bathroom Horatio, I'm pregnant, not 97 years old." She chuckled as he held her arm lightly.

"I want to, anyway, you'll hurt your back again if you bend down to put the plug in the bath." Horatio said softly and she nodded as they walked into the bathroom and flicked the light on.

"I guess you're right, thank you handsome." Zoë said softly and Horatio smiled at her before he bent over and put the plug in the bath and then began to run the water while Zoë picked up a towel.

"Pink, red or blue?" Horatio asked referring to the colours of the bubble bath.

"Pink please." She smiled and Horatio picked the pink up and poured some into the bath. She walked over to the bath and hung the towel up as she supported her stomach.

"I can't believe I'm this big, is it possible for me to get bigger? I swear women don't usually get this big, do they?" Zoë asked softly as she pulled her top up in front of him and began to rub her stomach as she tilted her head.

"You're perfectly normal beautiful, you just never got to this stage with Maya." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as she glanced to the bath before looking back to Horatio. He smiled softly as he placed both hands on her stomach, he then leant forwards and kissed her stomach. She giggled and ran her fingers through his hair.

"What are you wearing today? I'll make sure it's ironed." Horatio said softly as he stood up from sitting on the side of the bath, still keeping his hands on her stomach.

"I'm just going to wear some leggings and that thin burgundy jumper top that hangs off the shoulders." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded.

"Okay sweetheart, give me a call if you want or need anything." Horatio said softly as he removed his hands from her stomach.

"Thank you." She said before he walked out, he glanced back over to her with a smile as she began to undress. She slowly got into the bath and relaxed as she rubbed her stomach with her eyes closed for about 10 minutes.

"I can't believe you're going to be with us so soon. Everything is so perfect, I can't believe our lives have gone from constant fear of getting attacked and hurt to this perfect life. I couldn't have asked for better." She said as she rubbed her stomach with a smile.

"We need to come up with a name for you" Zoë said as she looked down at her large bump.

"I think you're going to like bath time when you're with us, you're squirming around in there." Zoë chuckled before she began to wash.

"I can't wait to have you in my arms." Zoë said softly just as Horatio walked into the bathroom.

"Who are you talking to?" Horatio asked curiously as he walked over to the sink and picked up his electric shaver.

"Mini me" Zoë smiled as she rubbed her stomach and smiled up at him. He walked over to her in his boxers having just showered himself.

"Is she talking back to you?" Horatio asked as he sat on the edge of the bath.

"Not as such, but I think she's enjoying the bath." Zoë smiled up at him and placed his hand over her stomach in the water.

"I think she is." Horatio smiled at her. "I will never get tired of feeling her move." Horatio said sincerely, concentrating on the movement.

"Neither will I." She replied. Horatio quickly kissed her once again and then stood.

"Do you need a hand?" Horatio asked softly.

"Please." Zoë said softly and then reached up to him and took hold of his waiting hands. He helped her out and then held the towel out for her. She wrapped it around herself and then went to pull the plug.

"I'll do that sweetheart." Horatio said quickly as he rushed over and pulled it out for her to save her back.

"Is there anything that you will actually allow me to do myself?" Zoë grinned at him as they walked out of the bathroom.

"Nope." Horatio smiled at her and she chuckled as she swatted his ass playfully, then left her hand on his ass with a cheeky grin.

"Horatio!" She scolded him lightly as she walked into the room to see her clothes already out and ready to be put on with a mug of herbal tea on the side. He smiled at her and then began to get changed himself.

"Remind me to get some of those flippy bras." She said softly as she picked up her underwear.

"Flippy bras?" Horatio asked as he pulled his trousers up and looked over to her as she continued to dry herself.

"Yeah, I'm not sure what they're called, but they're easier for when you breastfeed because you basically just unclip the cup or something." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded.

"Do you want to get the big things today as well?" Horatio asked and she nodded.

"I want to try and get as much as we can today, if that's okay?" Zoë asked softly and Horatio nodded. "I should probably transfer some more money into the account." Zoë said softly.

"Already done." Horatio smiled at her and she grinned at him as she put her bra on.

"You're a star." She smiled and then looked up to the mirror. "Look at my skinny legs, I swear I've only put weight on around my stomach and breasts. It looks weird, my legs look like they're going to snap." She chuckled as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"They look fine to me." Horatio smiled, admiring her as she pulled on her thong and Zoë looked up at him with a grin just as she pulled the leggings on.

"I don't look like a chav wearing these out, do I?" Zoë asked and Horatio laughed as he shook his head and continued to do his buttons up.

"No, you look nothing of the sort." Horatio chuckled again. "As long as you're comfortable, that is the main thing." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she pulled the thin jumper on and sorted it out over her bump.

"Aren't you wearing a t-shirt under that?" Horatio asked as he did his cuffs up, looking at her bump that the top she was wearing hugged comfortably tight.

"No, you don't wear t-shirts under this, it's basically a long sleeve t-shirt, just different material." Zoë smiled.

"What shoes shall I wear?" Zoë asked as she looked up at him and pulled the jumper over her bump more.

"Whatever shoes you want." Horatio said softly as he strolled over to her.

"Well, I want to wear my toms, but they don't have very much support and we're walking a lot today." Zoë said as she looked at him as he pulled a strand of hair from her face as he looked into her luxurious brown eyes.

"UGGs?" Horatio asked as he tilted his head.

"Too hot, they also don't have as much support as they seem to have." Zoë said as she looked back into his eyes. "I could wear my vans I suppose, or those cute black ankle boots?" She said softly.

"Whatever you want." Horatio said softly as he watched her think for a moment.

"I'll go with the cute ankle boots." She smiled.

"Are you sure you'll be comfortable in those?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she perched on the side of the already made bed and sipped the herbal tea.

"Okay sweetheart, do you want breakfast here, or shall we get something to eat out?" Horatio asked softly.

"Get something to eat out?" Zoë asked and he nodded.

"Sounds good to me." He smiled.

"You spoil me too much." She grinned.

"You deserve everything you ever want." Horatio smiled as he walked round to her and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, then skimmed the back of his index finger down from the corner of her eye to her soft cheek. She finished her herbal tea and then walked down with him and out to the car. They pulled off and drove into the heart of town and parked up.

"We'll probably have to make a few trips back and forth to the car, is that okay?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded as he held her door open for her and took her hand as she got out.

"Of course" Zoë smiled as she closed the door after picking her handbag up. Horatio took hold of her hand as he pulled on his sunglasses and then walked with her after locking the car.

"Where would you like to go for breakfast?" Horatio asked softly as they walked down the busy street with the sun shining brightly.

"That little lovely café we both like?" Zoë asked softly and Horatio nodded as he glanced over to her with a genuinely happy smile. They looked back to where they were walking with smiles on both of their faces as busy people rushed past. Both just took in the fresh air as well as the warm sun while they felt completely relaxed, much more relaxed than those rushing about around them. For once, they were the most calm people in sight and they enjoyed it.

"If you get tired tell me okay, we can take breaks." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as they approached the café.

"You know what, I can't really imagine you changing a nappy." Zoë chuckled as she admired the outside of the bright café, with its full front window, elegant cream table cloths, soft wall lights and dark wooden padded chairs. She took a relaxed deep breath as she gave Horatio's hand a quick squeeze before she let go of it.

"I've never changed one in my life, I can't imagine it myself if I'm honest." Horatio smiled at her as he placed his hand on her lower back briefly as they approached the door.

"We're both going to have to learn. I'm positive that Alexx will be over constantly so we can get tips off her." Zoë smiled joyously as Horatio returned the smile as he held the door open for her. She walked in and then turned to him as he walked in and then took her hand again. She briefly scanned the table filled room to try and spot a seat they'd like.

"Where would you like to sit?" Horatio asked softly and Zoë walked over to a table by the wall and let go of his hand before he pulled her chair out for her. He then pushed the chair in under her and then placed his hand on her shoulder as he bent down slightly.

"What would you like?" He asked quietly as she looked around to him with kind eyes.

"Could I have a cup of twining's breakfast tea and some cream teas please?" Zoë asked and Horatio nodded before he quickly gave her cheek a tender kiss.

"I'll be right back." Horatio smiled secretly as her smile grew. She sat back and watched him walk over to the counter and talk to the waitress as she rubbed her stomach. She couldn't help but grin as she watched him stand by the counter with his bank card in his hand. She lightly bit her lip as she looked down to his ass as his trousers hugged him comfortably. '_I wish the counter was lower, I love it when he kneels in his trousers, it gives me the best view of his perfect bum that way.'_ She thought to herself as she tilted her head and looked back up to his radiant red-hair.

"Zoë?" A man called from the table behind her, his voice sounded familiar but she didn't recognise it straight off. She turned around on the spot slowly with a gentle expression that seemed to be permanently imprinted on her face, well since she woke up that day anyway.

She saw a man in a white shirt short-sleeved shirt. She swallowed as her eyes fell to the patch on the side of his arm, and she realised he was a paramedic. She looked back up to the man holding a paper with a half-full mug of coffee. "Ben?" She questioned as she turned more in the seat and leant on the back to give him her full attention. '_Ah, Ben Cowling from school, he looks a little more tired than he did when he treated me a fair few months back for that heart problem.'_ She thought to herself as she studied his familiar black hair and brown eyes.

"It is you, I'm sorry, I didn't recognise you for a second." He apologised as he put his paper down on the table and leant forwards with a smile.

"Sorry, I didn't see you. How are you doing? How's the job going?" Zoë asked with a smile as she rested her chin on her forearm that laid across the top of the back of the chair.

"No problem Zoë. I'm really well thank you, however, I'm a little tired after my 12 hour shift last night, got another shift today too, just catching some breakfast before I'm called out." He smiled and she nodded as she studied his uniform once more. "How are you doing? And congratulations to you both." He smiled at her as he took hold of his coffee.

"I'm really well and thank you." Zoë smiled brightly as he took a quick sip of the strong coffee.

"How far along are you?" He asked as he placed the large plain white mug back on the coaster.

"33 weeks yesterday." Zoë smiled as she placed her hand over her stomach and began to gently rub. "We're also married now." Zoë smiled more.

"I'm really happy for you, Zoë. Are you having a boy or a girl, or do you not know?" He asked with a genuine smile.

"A girl." Zoë smiled shyly as she stopped rubbing her stomach to feel the kicks.

"Is she your second?" Ben asked softly and Zoë tilted her head at him as she pressed her lips together as she continued to smile, a little confused.

"It's just that when I treated you last, I noticed that you had a c-section scar." He said softly and she glanced down to the table cloth as she briefly lowered her eyebrows.

"Oh, yeah of course. She's our first, we lost Maya before she was born." Zoë said softly as she looked back up at him with a small smile, she could see that he immediately regretting asking her about it, she also saw his shock.

"I'm so sorry, Zoë. I didn't mean to upset you." Ben said as his eyes widened as he swallowed.

"No, it's okay." She said softly but she could see that Ben really regretted asking, but she could see his curious building and knew what he was going to ask next, which caused her heart to sink.

"Do you mind me asking–" He started quietly.

"I was kidnapped, they took her from us, she died. The doctors couldn't save her as she was too early, she was 19 weeks, but they got to me before I lost too much blood." Zoë said as she looked down at his paper and swallowed herself as she felt a chill move up her spine.

"I'm so sorry Zoë." Ben swallowed and Zoë gave him a small nod as she took a deep breath and continued to look at his paper to avoid his eye contact.

"How are you generally though? Did they find the cause of your heart problem?" He asked softly, trying to change the subject.

"Not really, they can't put it down to a definite cause but it's probably linked to another incident where I was poisoned and left for dead, as you can probably tell I'm not a very well-liked person here, well, amongst the criminals anyway. I've got a pacemaker now and it's working well, I've been good since really." Zoë said softly as she looked back up at him, but he could see her haunted expression. _'I've just gone and ruined her perfect day, I feel so bad.'_ He thought to himself.

"That's good to know, I mean the pacemaker. As far as I'm concerned, not being the criminals favourite person is a very good thing." Ben said just as his radio came alive, he pulled it from his belt and listened to the message, and then responded back. "I'm sorry, I've been called out to a patient." Ben said as he got up and placed the radio back on his belt as he picked up his coffee and downed it.

"No problem, I'll see you around sometime soon. Have a nice day." Zoë said softly as her warm expression briefly made a comeback.

"You too, I hope everything goes really well for the both of you. See you around." He said softly and Zoë gave him a sweet smile. She watched him walk out as he spoke into his radio and then looked to Horatio as he walked over with two mugs. She turned back in her seat and sent her eyes to the floor as she lightly hugged her stomach. Horatio frowned slightly as he studied her uncomfortable behaviour but quickly walked away and came back with another two plates. She looked up at him as he sat down opposite her and saw his slightly worried expression.

"Everything okay?" Horatio asked as he tilted his head and leant on the table.

"Yeah, that was Ben, he said congratulations." She said softly as she unwrapped herself from her arms and reached forwards for the hot tea.

"Paramedic Ben?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded as she looked down to the tea as she took hold of it with two hands..

"Are you sure you're okay sweetheart?" Horatio asked as he reached over and took hold of her hand tentatively as he rested his soft eyes on her. She felt something inside of her relax slightly as her eyes softened on his.

"Yeah, he just asked about Maya as he saw the scar when he treated me last. He wondered if this was our second. We're always going to be reminded of that day, aren't we?" Zoë said softly and Horatio exhaled with a small nod. But just his touch was making her feel better already, as well as his gentle blue eyes. He watched a smile tug at her lips as she gazed at him for a few moments, feeling her happiness and relaxed feeling return slowly.

She looked down to the steaming hot tea that looked to be made perfectly as well as the tea plate, upon which sat two cream teas, cut in half with a small serving bowl of fresh cream. "I'm okay, I'm good and this looks delicious!" She smiled as she looked back up at Horatio, his warm smile soon returned when he saw hers. He let go of her hand when he saw that she was okay.

"Do you want my jam spread? I just want the cream." Zoë smiled as she pulled the plate closer to her, being careful not to clumsily knock her mug from the table. Horatio quickly reached forwards and moved the mug back, wisely, he knew it was only a matter of time before she knocked it off.

"I'm going with just the cream too." Horatio smiled at her and she gave him a natural smile as she picked up her knife and began to spread the cream on the cream teas thick and evenly. Horatio copied her with his knife.

"Can we also get some decorations for her walls? I saw a picture in a book of a girls room which had pink walls with things like little yellow ducks as a boarder around the middle of the wall. It looked so cute." Zoë smiled at him and he chuckled with a nod.

"Of course, it sounds lovely sweetheart." Horatio smiled at her as they continued to spread the cream over the cream teas. Zoë put her knife down once she'd finished and then licked her fingers with a smile to get rid of the cream she'd got all over herself. Horatio smiled as he watched her happily lick her fingers subtly yet naturally.

"We need to think of a name for her." Zoë said softly before she took a bite of the cream tea, letting her eyes connect with his.

"Do you have any in mind?" Horatio asked softly before he took a bite too and then licked his finger once a dollop of thick cream fell onto the tip.

"I'm not too sure." Zoë said as she shrugged as she watched him lick the cream off his finger.

"I know you've got a name in mind. I don't have any names that spring to mind at the moment." Horatio smiled at her when he saw her cheeky smile and she giggled as she looked down. He could feel her feet moving under the table as she smiled shyly down at the cream tea.

"I'm not too sure about it. I don't know if you'd like it." She said softly as she looked back up at Horatio and then giggled when she felt him catch her ankles between his ankles playfully and she realised she'd been fidgeting.

"I won't know if I'll like it if you don't tell me. I'm certain I'll like it though." Horatio smiled at her as he released her ankles.

"I was thinking… Emily? Emily Caine?" Zoë asked softly and she saw Horatio think about it, she pressed her lips together shyly as she immediately thought that he hated it. "If you don't like it then that's fine, we'll think of another name. This is a decision for both of us, we both have to agree and be 100% happy with it." Zoë said softly as she furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"I really like Emily." Horatio said softly as he relaxed back and tilted his head, thinking about it more.

"Really?" Zoë asked surprised as she raised her eyebrows and sat up straight.

"Yes, it's a beautiful name." Horatio smiled at her as he leant forwards and gazed into her surprised, but very happy eyes.

"You really think so?" Zoë questioned again, uncertain if he was just agreeing and Horatio nodded.

"I do, how about a middle name? Do you want to stick with your family middle names?" Horatio asked warmly before he took a sip of his coffee.

"If you don't mind, I'm not sure what works better though?" Zoë asked softly, wanting his opinion.

"What was it, Mae and Louise?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded as she looked at him, hanging on his every word.

"Emily-Mae sounds nice." Horatio said softly and then watched a brilliant smile appear across her face, he knew she liked the name just from the smile. '_It sounds adorable when he say's it.'_ She thought to herself.

"Are you sure? We don't have to use those names if you don't want to." Zoë said softly as she toned her smile down, still not 100% sure if he was entirely happy with it as she tilted her head.

"No, I'd love to name our daughter Emily-Mae. It's a part of you as your middle name is Mae." Horatio assured her when he saw her searching his eyes deeply.

"I like Emily-Mae too, but I hope you're not just agreeing with this because I like it. I want you to be just as happy as I am with her name." Zoë said softly.

"I'm very happy with the name, it's a beautiful name, Zoë." Horatio assured her again and she nodded. She smiled wildly at him and he could see how excited she was, he felt overwhelmed himself. '_Emily-Mae Caine, our daughter. Our baby.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he looked down to her stomach with a smile.

"She has a name!" Zoë squealed and Horatio chuckled as he looked back up to her warmly as the grooves besides his eyes deepened as his smile widened.

"Daddy's little Emily-May." She grinned at him, she could see he was ecstatic. "I think she'll be a Daddy's girl." Zoë smiled at him as she rubbed her stomach gently before taking a sip of her tea.

"What makes you think that?" Horatio asked softly as he picked his coffee up.

"Because who wouldn't be a Daddy's girl if you were their father?" Zoë grinned at him and he chuckled again after he took a sip.

"I think she's going to be a Mummy's girl." Horatio smiled as he placed the coffee back down and then reached over to move her mug away from her hands because she'd knock it off.

"She'll be Mummy's little girl, but will be a Daddy's girl." Zoë grinned at him as she sat back and rubbed her stomach a little more. Horatio smiled down at the cream tea's with a smile, he loved to be hearing her say that he'd be a great father.

"We'll have to wait and see." Horatio smiled at her and then took a small bite of the cream tea.

"I just want her now." Zoë smiled at him as she finished the last cream tea, Horatio nodded in agreement just as he finished his mouthful.

"I do too." Horatio smiled as she sat back with her tea and sipped it slowly.

"Did you get tea too?" Zoë asked softly as she watched him pick up his mug for another sip.

"No, I've got coffee." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as he placed it back down with a gentle smile.

"You need tea with cream teas. If we ever visit England, I am taking you to Devon so you can taste the proper Devonshire cream teas, they are honestly the best things you'll ever taste in your life." Zoë grinned at him and he chuckled as he looked down at his empty plate, bar a few crumbs.

"They were pretty good, I must admit. I've never had those before, but they looked nice." Horatio smiled as he looked back up at her and then leant forwards on the table again as he tilted his head at her.

"The ones you get in Devon are literally 10x better." Zoë smiled and Horatio nodded, he didn't doubt that. He then sat back and finished his coffee, giving her a tender smile as she gazed at him with a dreamy smile.

"Shall we be off then?" Zoë asked as Horatio finished his coffee and he nodded at her. He helped her up and then thanked the waitress as they made for the door. They walked out hand in hand as Horatio pulled his sunglasses back on as they stepped back out into the bright warm sun.

"Where would you like to go first?" Horatio asked softly.

"Anywhere, I was thinking of getting the bigger things first, like a car seat and things like that, then the smaller things like clothes and nappies and everything a baby will ever need?" Zoë asked and Horatio nodded.

"A strategic plan." Horatio smiled as they walked up the hot Miami path passing shops.

"How about there, Mothercare? They do everything!" Zoë grinned and Horatio walked in with her with a smile when he saw her excitement.

Once they'd finished and Zoë's feet and back were hurting enough for her to actually complain about, they turned back and then headed home with the car full. They pulled up on the drive.

"Go and run yourself a bath, I will get all this in and put it in one of the guestrooms upstairs, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she slowly got out of the car. She helped with the first lot of bags and then ran herself a bath as Horatio got the rest in and put them all in one of the rooms at the front of the house. Horatio heard her curse in the bathroom and then quickly walked in to make sure she was okay.

"Sorry, we just forgot the bras, looks like another trip is in order." She smiled softly at Horatio who nodded and then walked over to her. He placed his hand on her stomach as he knelt beside the bath.

"How's your back?" He asked softly as he tilted his head at her.

"It's alright thanks, the warm water is working wonders." Zoë smiled at him and he nodded.

"Feet?" He asked softly as he gently rubbed her stomach.

"They're good too." Zoë smiled at him and he nodded.

"What would you like for dinner?" Horatio asked softly.

"I really would like some lamb chops, do we have any?" Zoë asked and Horatio nodded.

"That can be arranged." Horatio smiled and she nodded and rested her head back as he stood back up and tried his hand.

"Don't fall asleep, but take your time and come down when you're ready." Horatio said softly. She nodded at him and he then leant over and kissed her forehead and left her to it. She came down in joggers and a t-shirt and sat at the island counter as she watched Horatio cook with a smile on her face. She loved watching him cook and she loved watching him move about the kitchen.

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"Horatio! Argh!" She cried out in the shower but he didn't hear her as the running water was too loud. She held her stomach with her left hand as she leant against the wall with her right. The cramps she was experiencing were becoming a lot stronger.

"Horatio!" She shouted as she doubled over and took a deep breath and then exhaled a moan. He quickly ran in and opened the shower door to see her holding her stomach as she looked down at the shower floor.

"Horatio!" She cried out as she grabbed his arm and held her stomach with the other hand as she gritted her teeth and exhaled another groan just as the contraction she experienced dissipated.

"What's wrong?" Horatio questioned as he took hold of her arm.

"My waters have broken ." She groaned as he quickly turned the shower off and then put a towel around her.

"Okay sweetheart, keep calm. You're going to be okay, we're going to get you dressed and then we're going straight to the hospital, okay?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded as she took hold of his arms as he held the towel up while she took some deep breaths. She refused to move out of the shower until he got her some underwear with a large sanitary towel as her waters were still flowing.

"I've been getting cramps all day, I thought it was nothing. They've just got worse though." Zoë said as she looked up at Horatio as he helped her out of the shower.

"Okay sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he sat her down and quickly grabbed some clothes for her.

"Thank god I was in the shower when they broke, I think I would have been a mess if that happened on the carpet or something." Zoë said as she looked up at Horatio as he handed her the bra as he started to chuckle.

"I think you would have insisted of deep cleaning the carpet if that happened before going to the hospital." Horatio said with a smile as he handed her a pair of joggers and a tank top.

"I think you're right." Zoë chuckled as she dressed herself. She stood up as Horatio grabbed her readymade bag and the baby's readymade bag.

"Ah! Horatio!" She cried as she sat back down and held her stomach. He quickly rushed over to her and crouched in front of her. He placed his hands on her stomach and began to rub lightly as he looked up at her. She'd closed her eyes as she screwed up her face and took a deep breath.

"You're doing really well sweetheart, nice deep breaths, okay?" Horatio said softly and she nodded as she took some deep breaths. She quickly grabbed one of his hands and squeezed it as the contraction lasted about 30 seconds. He relaxed himself as she took another deep breath and loosened her grip on his hand. She opened her eyes and looked into his slightly frantic eyes.

"You're so lucky you're a man right now." Zoë said with a small smile as he slowly stood when she completely released him.

He chuckled lightly as he threated his fingers into her hair. "I wish I could go through this rather than you though. It's got to count for something, right? It's the thought that counts?" Horatio asked and she began to laugh as she smiled up at him. "Okay sweetheart, we're going to go slowly, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded as he helped her up. He slung both bags over his shoulder as he began to walk out with her.

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4 hours later, Zoë was lying in bed, exhausted as Horatio leant over and kissed her forehead as she released his hand. He stretched his fingers and saw the nail marks imprinted around his hand.

"You've done so well Zoë." Horatio said as he kissed her forehead and then moved back as Nathan handed her their baby.

"She's beautiful, Zoë." He said softly and she smiled up at him and then Horatio. She looked back down at the baby as she settled down.

"Emily-Mae Caine, our beautiful little girl." Zoë said as she looked down at the baby in her arms with a lump in her throat. She slowly lowered her head and placed a very tender kiss on the baby's forehead.

She then looked up at Horatio, he could see the sheer happiness in her eyes. "She's beautiful, Horatio."

Horatio bent down slowly and tenderly kissed her before he looked down to the small baby in Zoë's arms as Nathan stepped away. "She really is." He couldn't help but smile as he saw the baby sleeping peacefully, swaddled in a pink blanket. "She really is beautiful." Horatio repeated as he placed a light kiss on the baby's forehead. He then placed his arm around Zoë as they both looked down at baby Emily.

"Can you hold her please? I'm really uncomfortable." She said softly as she looked round to Horatio and he nodded and then carefully took the delicate child from Zoë's arms. Zoë looked up and saw Horatio's grin as she moved position.

"You're a natural." She said as Horatio naturally cradled baby Emily as he rocked her slightly. He glanced to Zoë with a smile and then sat down beside her as they both gazed down at baby Emily.

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5 weeks later, Zoë and Horatio were woken at 3.30am when Emily began to cry. Zoë quickly got up and fed her while Horatio sat up and looked over to them.

"I'm sorry handsome, she's a little hungry." Zoë said as she looked back to Horatio as he rubbed his eyes.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she gave him a small smile and then looked back to Emily. Horatio got up and picked up things to change her nappy and then quickly cleaned her and changed her as Zoë sorted herself out. They put her back to bed and then climbed into bed together.

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Emily turned 6 months and Zoë woke to find Horatio asleep next to her with Emily sleeping on him, Zoë smiled as she turned onto her side and then stroke Emily's head. She relaxed back and watched the both of them sleep for a while. She then felt a bout of nausea. She swallowed as she pressed her lips together and slowly got up to walk into the bathroom. She retched as she knelt in front of the loo as her stomach churned. Once she was finished she got back up, and turned to the mirror. She looked at her drained face as she leant on the counter. She took a few deep breaths and allowed the nausea to pass before she stood back up straight again. She stopped as she turned to the side and looked back into the mirror. '_Gosh, I look fat, I'm probably pregnant.'_ She thought to herself with a chuckle as she shook her head. She stopped chuckling and frowned when she remembered that she'd been sick 6 weeks before hand, but was certain that they had used a condom when they made love that week. She quietly scrambled around the bathroom, looking for the pregnancy test and then pulled it from the cupboard. She quickly took the pregnancy test and waited for it to give her the result as she looked at herself in the mirror more. '_I can't be pregnant again, can I? How? Emily is only 6 months old! We used a condom, I'm sure of it.' _She thought as she thought back to the previous 6 weeks. She looked back over to the pregnancy test and it came up positive. She covered her mouth briefly and then took a deep breath. '_I guess I am pregnant then. I hope Horatio isn't mad, I hope he's ready for this.'_ She thought as she quickly walked into the bedroom and woke Horatio carefully.

"Everything okay beautiful?" Horatio asked as she sat on the side of the bed and bit her lip lightly. She looked to Emily sleeping peacefully as she placed her hand on her and gently stroked the small curl in her hair.

"I've been feeling nauseous as you know, we both thought it was a small bug… but I've just taken another pregnancy test" she said as he looked up at her and he seemed to wake a little more as he gave her his complete attention. He reached over and placed his hand on her thigh as he awaited her answer, but had a feeling as to what she was going to say.

"I'm pregnant again, Horatio." Zoë said softly as she placed her other hand over his as she removed her other hand from Emily and placed it on his chest, hoping he wouldn't be upset by it.

"That's fantastic Zoë, but how?" Horatio asked as he gently rubbed her thigh as he placed his other hand over Emily while she continued to sleep peacefully on him.

"I'm not sure, but I remember that I was sick about 6 weeks ago and we used a condom, so I don't really understand, but that's the most likely situation." Zoë said softly as she placed her hand back on Emily's head, lightly.

"Are we going to ring Nathan?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded as she looked to Emily as she moved a little.

"Are you okay with this?" Zoe asked softly as she looked back to Horatio in the dim light, he could see she was worried.

"Of course I am, are you okay with it? Are you ready?" Horatio asked quietly as he rubbed Emily's back naturally. He saw the worry quickly going and realised she was only worried because she thought he wouldn't like it.

"I'm really happy actually, I'm definitely ready. It's too late to not be ready now anyway." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded with a smile. '_She's pregnant again, that's great. We're going to have another baby, sure it's a little sooner than I had anticipated and by the looks of it, sooner than she'd anticipated, but that can't be helped. Our perfect daughter is going to have a younger sibling.'_ Horatio thought to himself, absolutely ecstatic about the thought.

"I'd get up, but she's sleeping peacefully." Horatio said softly as he reached up once Emily had settled and ran the back of his finger over her cheek. He felt her cheek tighten slightly as she smiled.

"I know handsome, you stay where you are, she's getting some wonderful sleep." Zoë said as she bent over and kissed Horatio on the lips as she placed her hand on the side of his cheek, she could feel his slight stubble where he hadn't had the time to shave. She then ran her fingers over it slightly. She removed her hand and placed it over Emily's back and then lightly kissed her.

"Are you coming back to bed?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded as she rose to her feet.

"Look, I noticed that I'm big, I think I'm about 5 or 6 weeks." Zoë said as she pulled her top up and Horatio looked at her stomach.

"So you are, I didn't even realise." Horatio said softly with a tired smile and then watched her walk around to her side of the bed.

"Neither." Zoë said as she got in and pulled the duvet up. She rolled onto her side and snuggled up with him and Emily.

"We're having another baby." Zoë grinned at him and he smiled back at her and then gave her another kiss.

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20 weeks later Zoë and Horatio were setting up for Emily's first birthday and Zoë was about half-way through her second pregnancy.

"I can't believe she's a year old now." Zoë said as she looked into the living room watching Emily play with Alexx.

"Neither can I, it's gone so fast, but it's been the best couple of years of my life and there's more to come." Horatio said as he placed his hands on her stomach and stood behind her and also looked at Emily playing. She quickly turned her head and kissed Horatio and then pulled from his gentle embrace.

"Emm sweetheart, do you want some lunch?" Zoë called as she walked into the living room and kneeled beside Emily. She nodded at Zoë and then reached up to be carried. Zoë lifted her and gave Alexx a warm smile. Both Zoë and Alexx stood.

"My two will be over soon with my husband, they really want to go in the pool, is that okay?" Alexx asked softly as they walked through to the kitchen.

"Of course it is, just as long as they close the door after them, I don't want little madam here getting out there." Zoë said softly and Alexx nodded with a smile as Zoë sat Emily at the counter and then sat down to start feeding her.

"You get some lunch sweetheart, I'll feed her." Horatio said as he placed his hand on her back and she looked up at him and then nodded.

"Thank you." She said as she got up and then walked over to the fridge. Horatio took Zoë's spot and began to get Emily to eat.

"Alexx, what would you like?" Zoë asked softly.

"Whatever you're making." Alexx said softly and Zoë nodded. She made herself, Alexx and Horatio a sandwich each and then cut up some fruit for Emily. She very quickly ate half of her sandwich and then swapped with Horatio so he could eat his sandwich while she fed Emily and continued to eat her sandwich.

"Uncle Joey will be here soon, are you excited to see him?" Zoë asked Emily softly and she nodded at her and then finished the fruit.

"Go" Emily babbled softly as they all smiled at her and encouraged her more.

"That's right, Uncle Joe will be here." Zoë cooed softly as she cleaned Emily up with a baby wipe.

Zoë picked her up and let her go back into the living room and left Horatio and Alexx in the kitchen, both smiling.

"She's doing so well, Horatio." Alexx said softly as she turned to him. He glanced over to her before he looked down with a fervent smile. Alexx's smile grew when she could see just how happy Horatio truly was, despite the lack of sleep.

"I know." Horatio said as he listened to Zoë play with Emily and looked towards the living room direction before he picked up his empty mug and Alexx's.

"Go on, I'll clean up out here." Alexx said softly, as he placed them in the dishwasher. He glanced round to her with a gentle smile and soft eyes.

"No, it's okay, thank you Alexx." Horatio said softly as he collected the plates and turned to the dishwasher.

Alexx had stood in front of him and gently took the plates from his hands. "Horatio, I've got this, go and enjoy yourself with them, it's her birthday, she'll love it if you both play with her." Alexx insisted, she could see that Horatio wanted to as well.

"Thank you Alexx." Horatio said as a blazingly happy expression filled his face. She grinned at him as he walked out, she could feel his happiness transfer into herself. Alexx cleared up while she listened to Horatio and Zoë have fun with Emily, she felt like she wanted another baby. '_That's way past your time now, ol' girl. Who needs another baby when they've got a gorgeous daughter that I can hand back at the end of the day and another on the way?'_ Alexx asked herself with a smile. She heard a knock at the door and walked to the living room when she recognised the knock.

"My boys are here, is it okay if I let them in?" Alexx asked.

"Of course" Zoë smiled up at her. Alexx smiled and then looked at Emily in Horatio's lap playing with the toys. Alexx's children walked through to the living room, both had a gift wrapped in pink wrapping paper.

"Hi Mr and Mrs Caine, we have some presents." Her eldest said softly. Both Horatio and Zoë looked up at him and gave them both gentle smiles.

"Thank you Brian, please call us Zoë and Horatio. If you'd like to put them on the side, she'll open them when everyone gets here." Zoë said softly as she felt Emily put her hand in hers as she climbed over to Zoë from Horatio. Brian nodded and then took the present from his brother and placed it on the side.

"May we use your pool?" He asked softly as he turned back to her.

"Of course sweetie, but be careful and close the back door, I don't want Emm getting out." Zoë said softly and they nodded.

"What about the alarm? We can't get back in." He questioned as Emily pulled at Zoë's top.

"Don't worry, I'll disable it for today. Don't go out of the back gate though, you can't get back in if you go out there." Zoë said softly and they nodded with excited smiles and then rushed through the house. Zoë smiled as she looked back down to Emily.

"Play with Daddy for a moment Emm." She said softly and then handed her to Horatio. She got up and disabled the back door alarm while Horatio kept Emily entertained. They all heard the front door open when Joe let himself in as Zoë walked back through the house towards the front. She grinned when she saw Joe and then hugged him.

"Hey sweetie" Zoë grinned and then kissed his cheek.

"How are you doing?" He asked as he placed his hand on her stomach.

"Really well thank you, Emm's in the living room with Horatio and Alexx." Zoë said softly and he gave her a nod with a gentle smile. Joe walked through as Emily stood up and held onto Horatio as she looked up at Joe.

"Go" she babbled as she held on to Horatio's hand and shoulder. He smiled down at her and then crouched a meter away.

"Hello Emily, look what I've got for you." He said softly as he held a small teddy out. She looked up at him and then reached out and touched the teddy after taking a few steps away from Horatio while he still held onto one of her hands and kept her steady.

"He doesn't have a home at the moment, can you give him one? I think he likes you." Emily took another step and took the bear from him with a shy smile. Joe's smile widened as she hugged the bare to her chest and looked up at Joe.

"Thank you Joe." Horatio said softly. Joe quickly kissed her forehead before she gave him a smile and then moved back to Horatio with a small giggle. She sat in Horatio's lap as she began to play with the bear. Joe stood as Zoë walked back in. She looked down to Emily and saw that she was fascinated with the bear.

"We're not giving presents yet, Joseph." She grinned at him as she walked around to them just as Joe stood back up.

"I've got her something else too, that's like a pre-present gift." He said with a cheeky smile and Zoë giggled. Emily looked up at Zoë and then giggled herself.

"I can't believe it, there's two of you. She even has your laugh." Joe grinned at her and Zoe began to laugh, causing Emily to giggle more herself. Alexx studied Horatio as his smile grew as he looked from Zoë to Emily with a radiant smile. Emily calmed down once Zoë had and then turned to give the bear to Horatio.

"I think she is definitely in the making of a mini you, your eyes, your hair, your eating habits. This is all in your grand scheme isn't it, to create an army of you." He smiled at her and she chuckled lightly as she knelt down beside Horatio as she placed her hand on Emily's back.

"I hope this one has Horatio's eyes." She smiled up at him as she rubbed her stomach. Zoë got up as there was another knock at the door and let the group of people who had arrived in. The group consisted of those from baby groups.

"There are drinks and snacks in the kitchen, feel free to help yourselves, the elder ones are welcome to go in the pool as long as they play safely and close the door behind them." Zoë said softly and then greeted them individually. A lot of the adults placed their children in the living room with Emily while Horatio got up and began to speak with Alexx and Joe while they kept their eyes on Emily. Alexx departed to help Zoë with the kitchen while a lot of the fathers joined Horatio and Joe. Horatio greeted them warmly and then introduced Joe to all thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon. Alexx and Joe stayed behind to help tidy up after while Zoë put Emily to bed and then helped them to tidy.

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14 weeks later, at 39 weeks, Zoë gave birth to another baby girl, they named her Olivia-Louise Caine. They brought her home the next day and Emily was infatuated with her when Joe brought her back to their house.

A year later, they were doing the same birthday party as they'd thrown for Emily. -


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Nathan jumped out of the seat he was sat in while doing paper work as both Horatio and Zoë began to choke on the tube that was aiding their breathing at the same time. Alexx quickly sprang out of the chair and took care of Zoë's tube. Both of their tubes were quickly taken out of their mouths.

"Horatio, can you hear me?" Nathan questioned loudly as he placed his hand firmly on Horatio's chest.

"Zoë, can you hear me?" Alexx questioned as both Nathan and Alexx shone the torches in their eyes as Eric stood between the beds, looking at both Horatio and Zoë. Alexx and Nathan both rubbed each Horatio's and Zoë's sternum and each got a reaction in the form of small movement.

"How's Zoë doing? Is she breathing okay?" Nathan questioned as he looked back to Alexx.

"Yeah, her breathing is a little laboured and ragged, but she's fine, her oxygen sats are good." Alexx replied as she studied Zoë's calm, pale face.

"Good, Horatio seems to be breathing well." Nathan said softly as he studied Horatio's calm, pale face as he breathed steadily for himself.

"Is he reacting to pain?" Alexx questioned as she looked back to Nathan as she placed her hand on Zoë's cool arm.

"Only a little, but I don't expect any more from them at the moment." Nathan sat as he looked back to Alexx and Zoë. They both checked if either Horatio and Zoë could hear them again. Neither Horatio nor Zoë gave them anything so they left them alone for a while. Eric stood there, looking from Zoë to Horatio, desperate for any sign they gave.

"Are they okay?" Eric asked as he ran his hand through his hair, wanting them to give more reactions. He was desperate.

"Yes, they're still just unconscious, but they're coming around." Nathan said softly and Eric nodded and swallowed. He turned to Zoë after Alexx walked away and sat down. He placed his hand on her arm and looked down at her placid face, she just looked like she was sleeping.

"It's been over a week, why are they only just waking up?" Eric questioned as he looked back up to Nathan.

"It could be that they're slowly recovering." Nathan said softly as he wrote in Horatio's notes.

"But they woke at the same time." Eric said as he looked up at Nathan with a frown.

"I think that's just a coincidence." Nathan said softly as he put Horatio's notes down and picked Zoë's up.

"Will they be okay?" Eric questioned as he took hold of Zoë's hand. Alexx took a deep breath and looked at Zoë's small hand in Eric's.

"I hope so, but I've already told you, there's a chance they won't wake up. They've both received a traumatic brain injury." Nathan said softly as he continued to write in her notes.

"It's their wedding day tomorrow." Eric said as he looked over to Horatio and then back to Zoë as Alexx got back up and made her way over to him.

"I know Eric, how about we go and get some coffee? Let Nathan give them both a thorough examination, yeah?" Alexx asked as she placed her hand on his back. He let go of Zoë's hand and then looked over to Horatio tenderly. He then nodded and then walked out with her and Nathan gave them both a thorough examination and then had them both given a sponge bath. Eric and Alexx walked back in 30 minutes later.

"How are they?" Eric questioned as he walked back over to the seat that sat between both beds.

"They're okay. But you need to go home and get some proper rest, Eric." Nathan said softly as he looked up to him from the paper work on his lap.

"Not until I know that they're better." Eric said firmly.

Nathan took a deep breath and then rubbed his face with both hands before running a hand through his short brown hair. "Eric, that day may not come." Nathan said truthfully as he placed both hands on the arm rests.

"You said that about Zoë last time, look where she got to, she had recovered and was fine. You can't give up on them now." Eric argued as he looked back to Nathan, frowning.

"I know, but Zoë's case was very different, her brain wasn't physically damaged by an impact." Nathan said softly as he shook his head.

"She still had brain damage though, she recovered. You said she'd never wake up, you were sure of that. I will not give up on them. Don't underestimate them." Eric said firmly as he looked to Horatio before looking back to Zoë. He then rubbed his face as he ran his hands through his hair as he sat back. He exhaled and looked over to Horatio. He hadn't even noticed Alexx get up again and walk over to him.

"Eric, you need some rest honey, you're verging on manic." Alexx said as she placed her hand on Eric's back.

"I'm not leaving them. They'd be doing the same thing if it was you or I in their position. Horatio didn't leave Zoë's side, she even stuck through her phobia of nurses to make sure Horatio, me and Wolfe were okay when we were injured or unwell." Eric pleaded her.

"At least get some decent sleep, you cannot stay up all night every night just waiting for something to happen. You're making yourself unwell, Eric." Alexx said softly as she tilted her head and looked deeply into his eyes.

"I need to be here Alexx." Eric said as he looked up at her, she saw the bags under his eyes as well as the drained expression. She exhaled as he looked back over to Horatio.

"Look, I'm going to go back to yours and I'm going to get some of your stuff okay? I'm sure Nathan can arrange for a fold up bed for you, can't you?" Alexx questioned as she looked back to Nathan who stood the other side of Horatio with crossed arms and he nodded up at them.

"Thank you." He said softly and Alexx nodded and then turned to leave when Zoë's phone began to ring. Eric picked it up and looked at the caller ID.

"It's Joe, what do I do? Do I answer it? I wouldn't answer if it was anyone else, but you saw how close they were. He needs to know what's going on. I haven't been able to get hold of him to tell him the wedding is off." Eric said as he looked up at them.

"Let me speak to him, you're in no state of mind." Alexx said softly as she held her hand out to him.

"No, he doesn't know you." Eric argued and then answered the phone defiantly.

"Zoë? Thank god, I was starting to worry." Joe exhaled on the end of the phone with a long relieved exhale.

"Joe? It's Eric Delko here." Eric swallowed as Alexx placed her hands on her hips and looked at Eric displeasingly.

"Eric? Is everything okay? Where's Zoë? Can you put her on please?" Joe questioned sharply, also sounding quite confused.

"I can't do that, unfortunately. Erm… are you still living in New York, or are you now in Miami?" Eric questioned softly as he looked over to Zoë as he got up.

"I live in New York but I've just arrived in Miami, I don't move to Miami for another 2 months." Joe said, quickly growing concerned. Eric reached out and took hold of Zoë's hand again as he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "Where's Zoë?" Joe asked when he heard Eric exhale.

Eric opened his eyes and swallowed. He looked over to Zoë's pale face. "Zoë's… Zoë's been involved in a car crash with Horatio. The wedding has been called off. I couldn't get hold of you as Horatio's phone was destroyed and Zoë's has got a lock on. I couldn't find your number anywhere." Eric said as he took a few deep breaths. He brought his left hand up to his forehead and lightly rubbed it after letting go of Zoë's hand.

"What?! Is she okay? Is Horatio okay? Can you put her on the phone for me?" Joe questioned quickly and loudly. Eric could tell he was beginning to panic.

"They're both unconscious, they have been for the past week and a half. We don't know if they're going to wake up, but they've both just come off the ventilator." Eric swallowed as he turned and looked over to Horatio with soft eyes as Alexx placed her hand on his upper back and gently rubbed. She could tell that Eric was getting worked up, he was deeply hurt to see both Horatio and Zoë in such a state.

"I'm on my way now, is she responding at all? She is alive, isn't she?" Joe questioned and Eric heard the break in his voice when he questioned if she was alive.

"They're both alive, and moving a little when their sternums are rubbed, but they aren't responding to anything else. They've received brain injuries and everything." Eric said as he ran a hand through his hair and turned again to take hold of Zoë's hand.

"I'm on my way, I'll be there in an hour." Joe said as he hung up. Eric looked back to the phone as it locked itself. He put the phone down and shook his head as he looked at Zoë. '_Come on Zoë, wake up for us please.'_ Eric begged her in his mind. Alexx looked at Eric awaiting to hear what was happening.

"They're on their way down." Eric said as he took hold of Zoë's hand with both of his, he could feel that her hand was slightly cold as he looked at her.

'_I can't take this, they look awful.'_ Eric thought to himself as he turned around to look at Nathan doing his paperwork. "Do something Nathan, please. I can't see them like this anymore." Eric begged him as he let go of Zoë's hand.

"I can't Eric, we're doing everything we can. There is nothing more we can do." Nathan said softly with a sigh, he could see the toll that sleep deprivation was having on Eric. Eric exhaled violently as his face hardened, all he wanted was for them to wake and to be fine. They looked round to the door as it opened and Ryan cautiously walked in.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Eric's face immediately changed as he stood strongly and glared at him fiercely. "Get out of here, you do not deserve to be here." Eric raised his voice as he let go of Zoë's hand as Alexx took a hold of Zoë's other hand.

Ryan rubbed his left forearm with his right hand as he glanced down before looking up at Eric. "I need to know if they're okay. I've been going crazy, I thought they were dead. It's been all over the news. Rumours are going around, there's speculation that their dead, that they've had their legs amputated, that they're brain dead, the lot! I had to find out. Most of Miami knows about this now." Ryan pleaded softly, hoping to keep it amicable.

"Get out or I'll have the officers throw you out." Eric growled at him as he took a threatening step forwards while he clenched his fists. Nathan glanced over to Horatio as Horatio's heart rate rose considerably. Alexx glared at him just as ferociously and disapprovingly.

"You're okay baby girl." Alexx whispered softly before she left Zoë's side to walk over to Horatio's side.

"Eric, calm down. He's got a right to see them." Nathan said as he placed his hand on Eric's arm with a deep frown. Alexx placed her hand on Horatio's arm, having glanced up at the heart monitor.

"Horatio honey, Zoë's safe. He's not anywhere near her. He's not going to hurt her." Alexx whispered to Horatio quickly as she placed her hand on his forehead and bent down slightly while Eric continued to glare dangerously at Ryan.

"No he hasn't, have you? Get out, you've got some guts to be here. They're alive. You've found out now leave." Eric said as he approached Ryan with a burning hot fire in his eyes.

"Eric, calm down, or I'll have to send you out." Nathan said softly as he took a tight grip of Eric's upper arm.

Ryan stepped back and raised his hands in submission. "No, Eric's right. Thank you, I just wanted to know that they were alive, that's all." Ryan said before he quickly walked out. Eric immediately relaxed after he left, but was still fuming. Alexx swallowed and looked to Eric, she felt pretty shaken up. Nathan frowned at the both of them as Alexx walked over to Eric and tried to calm him down.

"H, you're both fine, he's gone." Eric assured Horatio clearly and then watched his heart rate drop a little.

"What was that about?" Nathan questioned both Alexx and Eric when Alexx began to rub Eric's back.

"He's no longer a part of the team." Eric growled as he turned around and walked back over to Zoë.

"Doesn't mean you can talk to him like that, what's he done to deserve that?" Nathan questioned as he frowned more and crossed his arms.

"Something none of us will ever forgive him for." Eric mumbled as he sat back down and rubbed his face.

"Care to elaborate? I've not seen him in here once since they were brought in, he'd usually be right by Zoë's side." Nathan looked to Zoë then to Alexx before he concentrated intensely back on Eric, awaiting his reply.

"Don't go there Nathan." Eric warned as he looked up at Nathan sternly.

"I think I have a right to know why you threw a visitor out." Nathan said as he looked to Eric and Alexx.

"Ryan–" Alexx began as Nathan walked over to Zoë and placed his hand on her forearm.

"Alexx, no. Don't, please just don't." Eric said as he looked round to Alexx. Nathan looked to Eric as he looked up at Alexx. He then looked back to Zoë and lifted her arm and placed it under the blanket.

"He should know, he might have to be involved in the case in future." Alexx said as Nathan pulled the blanket up on Zoë whilst continuing to listen to Eric and Alexx.

"No, it's disrespectful. You need to let them make that decision." Eric said firmly as he looked back to Alexx as Nathan turned around and leant against Zoë's bed.

"If they don't wake up, I am taking the case into my hands. If he comes in here again, that is it." Alexx said firmly back and Nathan tilted his head at her.

"Well, we will wait until then in that case. For the moment, that stays buried until they want to take action." Eric said as he looked back to Zoë as Nathan looked to him, completely confused.

"What has happened?" Nathan questioned firmly to stop their little disagreement.

"It's police business, Nathan." Alexx exhaled, giving in to Eric as she crossed her arms.

"If push comes to shove then I will support you, but not unless I'm certain that they are gone." Eric said as he looked to Alexx and she nodded at him. Nathan walked over to Horatio and placed his hand on his forearm to make sure he was warm enough.

"I need to get home, I'll be back with your things later." Alexx said softly and Eric nodded as Nathan turned around to look at them. Both were considerably more stressed than they had been before Ryan entered. Alexx then leant over Zoë and kissed her forehead, then did the same with Horatio.

"I'll be back a little later, take care of them, let me know if anything changes." Alexx said softly and Nathan nodded at her as she placed her hand on Eric's shoulder. He nodded as he looked up at her. She quickly hugged Nathan and then left. Eric watched her leave and then looked over to Zoë. Nathan studied Eric for a little while, he was clearly struggling to stay awake and was severely sleep deprived, he needed a good rest and he was clearly sick with worry.

"Eric, I'm worried about you. Alexx is too." Nathan said honestly as he walked over to the other side of Zoë's bed as he crossed his arms.

"You should be worried about them, not me. Just give me some sort of sleeping pill later and I'll be fine." Eric said as he looked up at Nathan and he nodded at Eric after pursing his lips to think about it. He then looked down at the blanket covering Zoë and thought to himself while Eric just looked at Zoë's placid face, studying the swelling.

"Has Ryan done something bad?" Nathan asked softly as he looked back up at Eric.

Eric looked up at Nathan and then nodded as his jaw hardened. "Bad is an understatement. He should be in prison right now." Eric mumbled and Nathan's eyes grew wide as he lowered his eyebrows.

"In prison?" Nathan questioned as he tilted his head to the right.

"Yes, the person charging him dropped it before he was tried." Eric said quietly as he looked down at the plain white flooring.

"Tried for what? What has he done and to who?" Nathan questioned and Eric looked back up to him.

"I'm not giving you those details, I'm sorry." Eric shook his head and Nathan nodded and knew not to press anymore. Nathan softened his stance, happy with what he'd managed to get out of Eric; he needed an explanation for his behaviour. He thought back to Alexx's disgusted yet almost fearful facial expression once Ryan had entered.

"In all honesty, I didn't think Alexx could ever look at someone like that, so I know it was bad." Nathan levelled with Eric quietly.

"Then why are you asking me?" Eric questioned as he frowned at Nathan.

"I'm curious, I've treated him, he's stood by your sides when you guys were in. But I understand if you can't say anything." Nathan said as he sat down on the seat beside Zoë's bed. Eric nodded and then sat back. Nathan sorted out his paperwork and began to carry on with it as Eric slowly fell into a light sleep. He was woken when he could hear a loud male voice a little while later.

"I'll be back in a moment." Nathan said as he got up and walked out to see what was going on. Nathan walked out to see a man and two women standing at the reception arguing with the on-duty staff-nurse.

"Joe?" Nathan questioned and he turned around with his hands on his hips. Joe's facial expression immediately softened on Nathan and then quickly rushed over to him. Nathan studied him, he was now clean shaven and looking a lot more well rested than he had the time before when they met.

"Nathan! What's going on, they're saying we can't see her." Joe pleaded as he put his phone away.

"They're with me." Nathan said softly and the nurse nodded. Nathan looked to the two women, inquisitively.

"Kaitlin and Jessica, they're good friends of Zoë's." Joe said as he gestured to them respectively. Nathan nodded as he looked back to Joe and looked at his fitted dark purple shirt and black suit-trousers.

"Follow me." Nathan said warmly and he led them into the waiting room.

"Nathan, I need to see her." Joe begged him, he didn't want to be taken to a waiting room. They continued to follow Nathan down the long corridor.

Nathan held the door open for them and then entered after them. "I will let you see her, but I need to talk to you first." Nathan said as he sat down. They all sat down opposite them, he could see the worried facial expressions on each of their faces.

"Zoe's alive and stable, however, she's not waking up yet. She's received a traumatic brain injury and there's the possibility that she'll never wake again. I've spoken to the neurosurgeons and they can't give me anymore information other than we have to take each day as it comes. I hope that she makes a full recovery, and I believe that she can, but whether she does is a different question." Nathan said honestly as he leant on his thighs and tilted his head to give them a gentle expression.

"What about Horatio?" Joe questioned quietly once he'd received the information.

"The same story. I managed to take them both off the ventilator this morning. So they have made an improvement, but as to how far they recover is again another question." Nathan said as he interlocked his fingers with an exhale.

"I need to see her." Joe begged again as he sat forwards with a desperate expression.

"Of course, but she's not looking too well at the moment, okay? There's a lot of wires and drips everywhere. Her face is still a little swollen too, but she's not in pain. I have to warn you before you see them though that they aren't looking well." Nathan said and Joe nodded, eager to get in there, whilst both Kaitlin and Jessica looked a little apprehensive. Nathan studied both Kaitlin and Jessica, Kaitlin had her long blonde hair tied up in a messy bun and wore black skinny jeans and a light pink top with ankle boots. '_She's a lot like Zoë.'_ Nathan thought to himself. He then turned his eyes to Jessica who was just a slim as her, but had pasty white skin and looked a lot frailer. Kaitlin looked like she worked out and kept herself toned whilst Jessica didn't seem to have much muscle or definition at all. '_She's pretty, but it doesn't look like she looks after herself too much.'_ Nathan thought to himself as his eyes wandered back over to Joe who was just about to stand.

"Okay, just try and keep calm, she may be able to hear us, so don't say anything upsetting or discuss upsetting things. But she may not be able to hear us, I can't tell you." Nathan said and Joe nodded.

"If she can hear us, can't she talk to us? Can she wake up?" Joe questioned.

"Unfortunately not, brain injuries are difficult." Nathan said and Joe nodded and then followed Nathan out with Kaitlin and Jessica following. They were stopped at the door by the two officers.

"They're fine, they're with me." Nathan said to them.

"We can't let you in, we're under strict orders." One officer said.

"They're fine, look, let Eric confirm." Nathan said and one nodded and then peeked in and called Eric over.

"Eric, I need you to confirm that they're allowed in." Nathan said softly and Eric looked at all 3 of them and then nodded.

"They're fine." Eric said to the officers and they stood to the side and let Nathan past with the 3 of them following. Joe looked at Zoë and then rushed over to her side immediately.

"Oh Bunny" he said as he took hold of her hand and then kissed her forehead as he bent over her. His heart rate had doubled as Kaitlin and Jessica stood at the end of her bed, both stunned. Their eyes didn't move from Zoë's pale face. Their heart rates had also doubled. Eric studied both women, he'd seen a picture of Kaitlin before when at Zoë's one evening when Horatio and she had a few people around for dinner. Kaitlin raised her hands to her mouth as her eyes saddened and filled with tears. He then looked over to Jessica as she looked at Zoë, with lowered eyebrows and sad eyes. He studied her mousy brown hair as it hung either side of her face as she loosely hugged herself.

"Talk to me Zoë, please." Joe begged quietly as he put his forehead against hers. He tried his hardest to keep himself together, but it was destroying him to see Zoë in such a state. "Talk to me darling, please." Joe begged again as he raised his right hand and placed his palm against her cheek as he pulled his head back a few inches to study her face. He exhaled and then delicately skimmed her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

He stood up straight and turned to look over to Nathan who was stood by Horatio's bed. He placed his hand on Zoë's shoulder as he turned. "Can't you do anything?" Joe questioned as Kaitlin and Jessica approached the other side of the bed slowly.

"We're doing everything we can. All we can do is monitor them and keep them comfortable." Nathan said softly and Joe swallowed as he turned back to Zoe and looked down at her. He ran a hand through his hair as he continued to look down at her in disbelief.

"Oh gorgeous, we're here for you." Kaitlin said warmly as she bent over and kissed her forehead as she placed her hand on Zoë's arm and Jessica placed her hand on Zoë's thigh.

Joe shook his head and watched the tender affection from Kaitlin. He turned back to Nathan with a haunted frown. "How did this happen? How bad was the crash? I don't understand?" Joe questioned Nathan as he gently rubbed her shoulder.

"They were ran off the dock at the shipping yard and plummeted into the sea. They were knocked out on impact and then trapped in the hummer until Eric freed them and resuscitated them." Nathan said softly and Joe's eyes welled as he pressed his lips into a hard line and looked down to the floor to compose himself. He felt incredibly upset and angry. Angry at those who ran them off the road, but felt slightly overwhelmed that Eric had managed to free them and save them. "They drowned as well as they weren't able to get out, adding to more oxygen starvation." Nathan said softly and Joe looked back up at him from the floor.

"Who's worse?" Joe questioned quietly as he looked over to Horatio, who also lay peacefully.

"They're both about equal." Nathan said softly as he looked to Horatio and then back to Joe.

"There must be something you can do? If it's because of money then I'm prepared to pay for any treatment that gives them any chance of hope." Joe begged him desperately.

"It's not about money, there simply is nothing else we can do." Nathan said sorrowfully. Joe could see that Nathan wished there was more he could do for the both of them.

"Any other injuries?" Joe questioned as he turned back to Zoë and looked her over to see if she had any other injuries, but she was completely covered by the blanket.

"They've both suffered with internal bruising and Horatio had a small bleed in one of his lungs. His chest took most of the impact so he's got a few broken ribs. They've both suffered with head wounds and contusions, as well as severe bruising. They're muscles have also been through a lot so will be stiff if they were to wake up." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he turned back to Horatio who was equally as pale as Zoë.

"Why didn't he put his arms out in front of him?" Joe questioned as he frowned noticing the bruising at the base of Horatio's neck as well as his arms.

"We think that he tried to protect Zoë as much as he could by putting his arms or arm over her and holding her in the seat. We can't be absolutely sure, but from their injuries and the places of injuries, it's the most likely situation. He would have done anything to protect her ahead of himself, so I think it is likely." Eric exhaled softly as he stood by Nathan and looked from Horatio to Zoë before looking up at Joe. Joe nodded at him as Kaitlin and Jessica looked at him for a moment more.

"Was Horatio driving? Why didn't they apply the brakes?" Joe questioned as he studied Horatio intensely.

"Horatio was driving, we got a distress call from them about 2 minutes before they hit the water. The breaks were cut and the airbags disabled. The hummer was sabotaged. We're still investigating, but we've got a few leads." Eric said softly and Joe nodded as he looked back to him and removed his hand from Zoë's shoulder to move over to Horatio's bed.

"Thank you Horatio." Joe said as he placed his hand gently on Horatio's arm.

"How long have they been like this?" Joe questioned as he stood back and looked to Nathan.

"They were brought in last Tuesday." Nathan said warmly.

"It's Thursday now, they've been like this for over a week?" Joe questioned shocked and Nathan nodded wistfully. "Don't say it, they'll get through this. Don't give up on them. If you won't try any longer then I'm having them transferred to a doctor that will." Joe warned when he saw what looked like Nathan losing hope.

"I'm not giving up on them, but there is a slimmer chance that they'll recover as they've both been out for over a week." Nathan said softly as he looked to Joe sincerely.

"They were taken off the ventilator today, that's improvement for you. Don't underestimate her; she will get through this, even if I have to drag her through it myself. I will drag them both back whether they like it or not." Joe said sounding extremely determined as he turned to Zoë. Kaitlin finally broke down into tears after trying to remain strong. Joe quickly walked round and embraced her tightly as he continued to look at Zoë, just hoping for any sign of consciousness.

"She'll be fine Kaitlin; I'll make sure of it." Joe assured her as he rubbed her back.

"I can't see her like this anymore." Kaitlin cried as she closed her eyes and hugged Joe tighter.

"Go to the hotel, and I'll give you a call later, I'm staying here." Joe said softly and Kaitlin nodded and then pulled away from Joe quickly, eager to leave so she didn't have to see Zoë like that anymore.

"I love you so much gorgeous, you hang on in there for me. I have to be your maid of honour, you promised me." She said as she leant over Zoë and tried to hug her and kissed her forehead tentatively. "Please call me if there's any change." Kaitlin asked and Joe nodded.

"Take the car." Joe said as he handed her the keys and she nodded and then hugged him again.

"Are you coming Jess?" She asked and Jessica nodded at her. Kaitlin quickly walked around the bed and stepped up to Horatio and took his hand.

"Thank you for trying your best to save my baby girl, I owe you big time." Kaitlin said softly and then picked his hand up and lightly kissed the back of his hand. They then walked out arm in arm as Kaitlin wiped her eyes and called her boyfriend. Joe stood back and ran his hand through his hair as he looked down at Zoë, still distressed by her.

"Has Ryan been here?" Joe questioned as he turned to Eric and Nathan.

"He came this morning, I sent him straight out. Don't worry, he didn't get anywhere near them. If he comes in again I'll have him arrested." Eric said and Joe nodded as his facial expression hardened along with his jaw.

"He's got some cheek." Joe grumbled as he looked back to Zoë.

"I know, he said he needed to know that they were alive as there was rumours going around though, I can kind of understand, but he shouldn't have just walked in." Eric said softly.

"How did he get past them? They wouldn't let us in." Joe questioned fiercely as he swung around fast to glare at Eric.

"He's ex-police, they know him." Eric shrugged.

"I'm having them fired." Joe growled.

"No, it wasn't their fault. They're doing a good job." Eric assured him and Joe then slumped in the chair beside Zoë and pulled her hand from under the blanket and took a loose hold of it.

"I can't believe this has happened Bunny, I'm so sorry that I wasn't here before." Joe said as he kissed her hand and she took a deep breath. Joe looked up at her as did Eric while Nathan looked over to Horatio as he did the same thing a few moments later.

"What is going on with them?" Nathan questioned as he quickly check their eyes and rubbed their sternums.

"Horatio's giving more of a response at the moment, but they've made an improvement on this morning." Nathan said as he stood between the beds and looked at each of them. Nathan then leant against Horatio's bed and filled in their charts as Eric sat in the seat between them and Joe on the other side of Zoë. Eric and Joe were silent, both just hoping for some sort of miracle.

"Is she still getting her medication?" Joe questioned as he sat up straight and looked up at Nathan. Nathan nodded as he looked up from the notes.

"Seretide?" Joe questioned and Nathan nodded again.

"What about her tablets?" Joe questioned.

"Yes, but she can't take the tablets so we're giving her other medication that does the same job that can be put into her IV." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded, happier and more relaxed. "We're taking good care of her Joe, please trust me." Nathan asked and Joe exhaled as he rubbed his forehead and knew he was being too hard on Nathan.

"I apologise, I'm not used to being soft on doctors when it comes to her. It was a different one every time up in New York and as she had to be sedated for most of the time, I had to make sure she was being cared for properly and being given the right medication. You wouldn't believe some of the morons they have working in that hospital." Joe sighed and Nathan nodded.

"I understand, we have a few of those morons here too, but I don't let them near this team." Nathan said softly and Joe gave him a small smile and then looked down at Zoë.

"I need to do my evening rounds, I'll be back after. Ring if you need anything. Joe, would you like a coffee?" Nathan said softly.

"Thank you, one sugar." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded.

"I'll be back with them after rounds." Nathan said softly and both Joe and Eric nodded at him.

"You look tired." Joe said bluntly, yet softly to Eric as he studied the dark circles under Eric's eyes as well as the 'zombie' look he was giving off.

"I've not slept in about a week." Eric said as he looked over to Joe who frowned at him, confused. "I can't sleep, they need me, they need someone there. I can't sleep in case something happens when I'm asleep." Eric said tiredly and Joe nodded.

"Mate, staying awake for that long is bad for you. You can go home, I'm staying anyway." Joe said softly as he sat back and linked his fingers together.

"Thank you, but with all due respect, when and if Horatio wakes, he'll need a friendly face and he doesn't really know you. He's going to need someone to assure him that Zoë's okay, that's if she's not awake before him." Eric said softly and Joe nodded.

"That's fair enough mate." Joe said softly as he sat up and moved position slightly and Eric nodded. "But if you'd like to go home to get a change of clothes or anything I'm very happy to keep an eye on both. I mean, I respect Horatio a lot, he is a truly wonderful human being, he's going to be family practically when they marry. Even though Zoë's my age and we're not related, she is like my little sister, always has been." Joe said softly and Eric nodded.

"Thank you, but Alexx is bringing some things over to me later." Eric said softly and Joe nodded.

"It wasn't more than 10 minutes before they were pushed into the sea that she was excited about tomorrow. It was the 3rd time she told me that day, I'd give anything for them both to be awake right now and to see her getting excited about tomorrow. I've give anything to tease her about the amount of times she'd reminded me." Eric sighed as he looked at the floor by his feet, recalling their conversation by the bloody knife perfectly. He looked back up at Zoë when he envisioned her gleaming smile and laughter when he teased her.

"I'd give anything as well. I thought she was getting nervous and needed space, so that's why I didn't call. I just thought she needed space, not that she was hurt. If she's nervous she usually needs space, she refused to talk to me the week leading up to our results for our degrees." Joe said quietly before kissing the back of her hand tenderly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get hold of you, I tried getting into her phone, but I was too caught up in worrying about them and willing them to wake up to even think about getting the lab to trace your number." Eric said softly.

"It doesn't matter, I'm here now. It would have been wrongful use of the equipment anyway." Joe said softly.

"And using two helicopters for your own rescue mission isn't?" Eric looked up at him with a small smile.

"Touché." Joe smiled back at him with his perfect white teeth. They sat back, silent, mainly just watching both Zoë and Horatio breathe until Nathan walked in with 3 cups.

"Coffee" Nathan said as he handed the cup to Joe.

"Thanks." He said as he took it with a gentle smile.

"Eric, I'm afraid you've only got water. Here's a sleeping pill, I need you to take it soon if you're to wake up tomorrow morning and not in the afternoon. One of the porters is bringing the put-up bed up. Joe, you're welcome to one if you want." Nathan said softly as he handed Eric the water and large tablet.

"Oh no thank you, I'm happy with the chair." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded as he moved over to Horatio's bed and slunk into the chair.

"When are you off home? Who's taking over their care?" Joe asked after he sipped the coffee.

"I'm not going home, I'm staying. A good friend is technically taking over their care, but I'll over see them throughout the night too. He'll come in a few times to check up on them when I fall asleep. Don't worry, they both know him, Zoë has some level of trust with him too. His name is Zak Brunet, he's a good doctor." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he relaxed further, feeling his eyes growing a little heavy after a day of travelling via plane.

"Would you usually stay?" Joe asked as he crossed his legs at the ankles and slunk down into the chair a little more.

"It depends on who it is and how serious the injuries are. If they'd just broken some bones and were in overnight for observation, then no. But they could wake up at any time and they'll need someone who knows them to bring them around without them causing harm to themselves, especially Zoë." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded, respecting Nathan for going out of his way to help them.

"I have to say, I never thought in a million years that she'd trust a doctor, or become so close with one." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded.

"I look back on her first reaction to me, and I sometimes question how she managed to overcome her fear. It just show's just how strong she is and how determined she is to better herself. I mean, I've got a phobia of clowns – I can't be anywhere near one, I will never get over that phobia and I never want to because it means I'll have to come into contact with them. But she bit the bullet and tried her hardest. I'm proud of her for that, I know Horatio's proud of her too. She does amaze me quite honestly." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded in agreement.

"I'm proud of her, she's made so much progress since moving down here." Joe said softly as he looked over to Zoë. Nathan also looked to Zoë with a small smile. "Before you ask, I don't want to go into why she doesn't like doctors." Joe said softly as he looked back to Nathan, anticipating a question.

"I wasn't going to ask, I know that if she wants me to know, she'll tell me. Unless it's threatening her life, and I _need_ to know a piece of information, I don't question her or Horatio." Nathan said softly and Joe looked at him a little bewildered. '_He doesn't stick his nose in every nook and cranny he can? He doesn't think he knows best when it comes to her? He actually respects her?'_ Joe thought to himself as he tilted his head before a gentle smile tugged at his lips, having felt a little more respect for Nathan.

"First doctor to understand her too" Joe said as he sat back and sipped his coffee while Eric remained in his own world where he'd been for the past few minutes. Nathan gave him a small smile and then looked down to the new iPad he'd purchased so he didn't have paper everywhere. Joe rested the coffee on his thigh in his right hand as he subtly studied Nathan as a look of concentration crossed his face. He brought his left hand up to his lips and ran his index finger over his top lip, then his bottom lip, repeating the same actions as he sat and thought to himself, trying to work out if Nathan genuinely had such a heart of gold. He watched Nathan pull the tie from his neck to loosen it and pop his top button undone as he slouched slightly, relaxing. He saw Nathan pull his sleeves up and saw a tan line on his wrist, where a band had been. His eyes then travelled down to see that Nathan had crossed his legs, his right ankle resting on his knee. Joe then realised that Nathan had changed from his formal black shoes into a pair of dark blue converse. He pursed his lips slightly just as Nathan looked back over to Joe and realised he was studying him intensely. He felt a wave of heat rush through his body as he immediately became slightly uncomfortable, he knew Joe was weighing him up and thinking whether or not he was a potential threat to Zoe.

"I have a great deal of respect for you for what you do for her, I just hope you don't abuse the trust she has with you, if you push her too far, you'll lose her and I'd hate to see that happen." Joe warned with a slightly threatening facial expression, testing Nathan, he wanted to know Nathan's response. He wanted to know how Nathan would react to a serious warning, he also knew that with the threatening expression he gave others the truth always came out. He knew if Nathan had any intentions that he kept hidden they'd come out.

Nathan looked to him with suspicious eyes. "I know, I'd never do anything to abuse the trust she has with me, not only is she my patient that I have an obligation to protect and care for, but I'm her friend and she is my friend too." Nathan said softly, knowing exactly what Joe was doing. He saw the acceptance in Joe's eyes and knew that he wasn't being resentful towards him, he knew he was only looking out for Zoë. '_Boy, I would not like to mess with him. I would hate to piss him off in anyway. Not only does he look like he's quite a calculating man, but he looks like he could do some physical damage.'_ Nathan thought to himself as he studied Joe's well-built frame.

"Doesn't stop some people, believe me." Joe mumbled as he turned his gaze over to Zoë. His eyes softened a lot as he removed his fingers from his lips. Nathan frowned at him and then looked to Zoë. He then glanced to Eric to see his response and Eric was back with them as he looked at Joe with slightly wide eyes. Nathan then looked back to Joe.

"Is this to do with Ryan?" Nathan questioned and Joe looked back to him and then to Eric as Nathan's eyes rested on Joe firmly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

'_If I tell Nathan, perhaps she'll charge Ryan? He did sexually assault her after all and she didn't charge because she didn't want anyone to find out. I'll be doing her a favour, surely?'_ Joe thought to himself but saw Eric shaking his head at him, frantically. "No, completely different matter" Joe sighed softly as he looked back over to Zoë. Nathan gave him a nod and then looked back down to the iPad, unsuspecting as Joe had managed to pull off his sentence with a calm, confident demeanour.

"Don't mind me, just got some work to finish." Nathan said quietly as he concentrated. Joe nodded at him and then relaxed a little more and finished his coffee. The porter then walked in with the put up bed and Nathan directed him to put it the other side of Horatio's bed beside the wall so it was out of the way.

"Take the tablet now and you'll be out in 30 minutes." Nathan said softly and Eric nodded and then took the tablet with a large gulp of water.

"I'm just going to get you some pillows and blankets." Nathan said softly as he got up and walked out, only to return with more blankets and a couple of pillows a few minutes later. Eric could feel the pills getting to work 10 minutes after taking them, he was sat in the chair with his eyes feeling very heavy.

"Go and lie down Eric." Nathan said and Eric nodded, he went to lie down after going to the loo and Nathan quickly moved and sat between the beds, keeping a regular eye on both of their monitors. He continued to try his work on the iPad, but it wasn't working out as well as he'd hoped. Joe looked up to Nathan and saw him becoming slightly frustrated with the iPad.

"How late are you going to work?" Joe questioned softly.

Nathan looked up at Joe and realised that he was too frustrated with the iPad, so exhaled softly. "Not much longer, I'm nearly finished." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he put the iPad down and got up to pick up the paperwork instead. '_I prefer paper anyway.'_ Nathan thought to himself.

"She's going to be distraught when she finds out that the wedding had to be postponed." Joe exhaled as he placed his hand on her forearm.

"I know, but at least she'll be awake and alive to know that it was postponed." Nathan said softly as he sat down between the beds.

"That's true." Joe said as he continued to look at her warmly, he studied the swelling on the right side of her face, her forehead seemed to have swelled the most and was bruised, the rest of the right side was swollen, but not so much. He then studied the left side and it looked virtually untouched.

"Aren't you giving her anything for the inflammation on the side of her face?" Joe asked as he looked back over to Nathan.

"I've tried, but she reacted to it so I had to take her straight off it." Nathan said softly and Joe's eyebrows lowered as he tilted his head.

"She's not allergic to any medication though?" Joe asked as he sat up a little more to give Nathan his full attention.

"No, it was just her asthma that flared up, it's more than likely due to the extra stress her body is under. She was fighting infection when she was brought in as she had some cuts and things, so that could be causing her body to fight anything that it comes into contact with. Or it could have just been a coincidence, her asthma could have simply flared up for no reason after I administered the anti-inflammatory medication." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he looked back to her.

"If it was to do with the medication, she won't develop an allergy to it though, will she?" Joe asked and Nathan shook his head.

"I highly doubt it." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded. Joe soon fell asleep after Nathan had finished his work. Nathan checked up on both Horatio and Zoë before looking over to Eric to see him spark out. He returned to his seat and rested his eyes.

He woke the next morning slumped in the chair and looked over all 3 of them and then checked Eric who was still spark out. Nathan got up and went to the loo, in the process waking Joe.

"Sorry." Nathan said as he walked out.

"Don't worry, how are they?" Joe asked as he sat up and picked Zoë's hand up and ran his thumb over the back of her hand briefly.

"I'm just going to check them over." Nathan said and Joe nodded as he got up and stretched his legs. He went to the loo and then stood at the window and looked out at the rising sun while Nathan checked them over. Joe turned around when he heard Nathan exhale while he wrote a few things down.

"They're about the same." He said once he covered the both of them with their blankets and Joe nodded. '_At least they're no worse.'_ The both of them thought.

"Is Eric still out of it?" Joe asked and Nathan nodded as Joe sat back down in the seat as he ran a hand through his hair.

"He needed a good sleep." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he began to run his finger over his lips again as he looked from Horatio to Zoë, studying the both of them.

"Anyway, I need to go home and change, I'll be back." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded silently as he concentrated on the both of them. He exhaled when neither of them moved and then rubbed his face as he looked down and closed his eyes for a moment. He looked up when he heard something and saw Eric slowly getting up, looking exceptionally tired and groggy.

"Good sleep?" Joe asked and Eric nodded as he squinted at Joe after looking over Horatio and Zoe.

"I feel like I'm hung over though." Eric mumbled as he stumbled around Horatio's bed and sat in the seat between the beds as he rubbed his eyes.

"Would you like some water?" Joe asked.

"Please." Eric said as he rubbed his head and Joe handed him a glass of water and Eric thanked him.

"It's probably because you actually got a good night's sleep." Joe said and Eric nodded as he took a sip of water.

"How are they?" Eric questioned once his throat was no longer dry.

"They're the same." Joe replied as he sat back and crossed his legs at the ankles as he texted on his phone. Eric sat back and also texted, both were letting other's know how Horatio and Zoë were. Nathan walked back in a little while later and sat down looking fresh.

"Aren't you working?" Joe asked as he studied Nathan's jeans, converse and polo-shirt.

"No, I have the day off as I booked it off a little while ago for their wedding." Nathan said softly.

"Oh of course" Joe said softly as he nodded, understanding. '_He looks bloody young without the suit, I wonder how old he is, he must be a little younger than me perhaps. Not a wrinkle on his face either. Lucky man. I must ask him his secret, it's probably some sort of cream, I'm starting to get a couple of wrinkles here and there.'_ Joe thought to himself as he relaxed his head back against the seat. Zoë took another deep breath and then exhaled a moan. Nathan, Joe and Eric all looked over to her with hope in their eyes. All rose to their feet quickly and looked at her expectantly, hoping for her to sit up and start complaining.

"Zoë? Can you hear me sweet?" Nathan questioned as he moved up to the head of her bed and opened her eyes with his thumbs to check her pupils.

"Zoë, it's Nathan, don't worry you're safe. We've got you." Nathan said loudly as he placed his hand lightly on her shoulder. Joe looked from Zoë up to Nathan and saw the puzzled look on Nathan's face. Zoë's eyes hadn't closed, even when Nathan removed his hands from her face.

"Is she awake?" Joe questioned as he reached down and placed his hand on her forearm.

"I don't know." Nathan said as he moved his hand to her chest and rubbed her sternum and she let out a moan and closed her eyes again.

"Well done Zoë, if you can hear me, open your eyes for me." Nathan said softly as he ran the tip of his index finger from her wrist up to her elbow, giving her a light stimulus. "Come on Zoë, open those eyes for me." Nathan asked loudly again.

He sighed when her eyes didn't even flicker, he then pulled the blanket back and ran his finger up the sole of her foot, but didn't get a response from her. "Okay, Zoë squeeze my fingers if you can hear me." Nathan said loudly as he placed his fingers in her palms and wiggled them against her palms. He saw her stomach muscles tense and placed his hand over her stomach to see what was going on. He then saw her gagging each time her stomach tensed. "Okay Zoë, I'm putting you on your side." Nathan said as he grabbed a sick bowl and quickly turned her as Joe sprang out of the chair and also helped to roll her.

"Thank you Joe, can you get a nurse please?" Nathan asked and Joe looked at him with a frown, a little alarmed also. "I need a nurse, don't worry, she's not awake." Nathan assured him, Joe reluctantly nodded and then got a nurse. She flashed her ID before she came in and then walked over to Nathan.

"It's okay sweet, we're just going to clear your throat, okay?" Nathan said softly as the nurse pulled the suction tube from the wall and began to clear her mouth and throat.

"You're doing really well Zoë." Nathan assured her loudly as he rubbed her back lightly. Joe studied the nurse as she carefully checked Zoë's mouth for anything else.

"Can you get me some Benadryl please?" Nathan asked as the nurse took the sick bowl from him and she nodded before she exited.

"Benadryl?" Joe questioned as he held onto Zoë while Eric stood by Horatio, quietly assuring him that Zoë was okay.

"It will help with the sickness, it's probably the painkillers that's causing her to be sick." Nathan said as she began to gag again. He got the sick bowl under her mouth just in time and soothed her as Joe held her on her side. "You're doing really well sweet." Nathan said softly. The nurse came back and placed the medication on the side before she helped clear Zoë's airways again and then took the sick bowl. Nathan introduced the medication into her IV and then rolled her back onto her back slowly. "She won't throw up anymore, well, hopefully." Nathan said as he checked her eyes again and Joe nodded as he took hold of her hand.

Horatio let out a small moan and Nathan quickly turned around and walked over to him and then checked his eyes as Joe watched, just hoping for one of them to wake up. It was nothing more than a moan.

"Are you sure she wasn't sick because the pressure is going up in her head?" Joe questioned.

"I'm sure, we're keeping an eye on that." Nathan said as he pointed to the monitor and Joe looked up and then nodded. "The same with Horatio." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded again. Joe leant over Zoë and opened her eyes himself to check her pupils. Nathan glanced over to him and studied him checking them.

"Do you have medical training?" Nathan questioned as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah, first aid responder; just like her." Joe said softly as he glanced up to Nathan before letting her eyes close again.

"Another one I need to watch out for." Nathan said softly with a small smile.

"I'm not as bad as her, honestly." Joe smiled at him and Nathan nodded with a chuckle.

"I'll believe it when I see it." He smiled at him as he tilted his head and raised his eyebrows.

"Hora–" Zoë whispered dryly and all three of them crowded around and Nathan checked her eyes once again with his pen torch.

"Zoë can you hear me?" Nathan questioned and she just heavily exhaled as her eyes closed again.

"Zoë I need you to open your eyes or make a sound if you can hear me sweet." Nathan said softly and then turned around when he heard Horatio's heart rate rise.

"Horatio, can you hear me?" Nathan questioned as he checked Horatio's eyes.

"Horatio open your eyes if you can hear me." Nathan asked loudly as he rubbed Horatio's sternum again and he let out a small moan.

"Something weird is going on, they're responding the same, they're waking up at the same time, they both came off the ventilator at the same time." Nathan said as he rubbed Horatio's sternum again as Eric stood and looked from Zoë to Horatio.

"Nathan, she's moving her hand." Eric said softly and Nathan turned around and then checked her eyes again. He began to get slightly frustrated.

"Zoë, if you can hear me please let me know somehow." Nathan asked and he took her pulse.

"Horatio's moving too." Eric said as he walked over to Horatio's bed.

"It's Eric H, you're okay." Eric said softly as he placed his hand on Horatio's arm.

"Zo–" Horatio exhaled heavily.

"It's like they both know that the other is here." Nathan said as he stood back and looked over both of them as he rubbed his temple lightly.

"How? They're not answering you." Joe said softly and Nathan shrugged as he looked at Zoë, mystified.

"It's Joe, Bunny. Can you open your eyes for me?" Joe asked as he placed his hand on her forehead. She didn't do anything. Joe exhaled. They sat back once both Zoë and Horatio had fallen silent again. 3 hours later, Zoë opened her eyes as she let out a low moan.

"Zoë, it's Joe, can you see me?" Joe questioned as he sprang out of the chair and placed his hand on her forehead as he leant over her and looked into her eyes.

Nathan gently pushed Joe away and then placed his hand on her shoulder. "Zoë, It's Nathan, blink if you can hear me." Nathan said clearly and she blinked as she took a deep breath through her nose.

"Blink twice if you can hear me, Zoë." Nathan asked again and she blinked twice and continued to look straight up. Eric stood at the end of her bed, watching her intensely as Joe and Nathan looked into her static eyes.

"Well done Zoë, you're in hospital sweet. You're okay though, It's Nathan. Joe's here with Eric, Horatio is next to you. Don't worry sweet. I've got you, you're safe." Nathan said as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and then looked into her eyes with his pen torch again and then placed his fingers in the palms of her hands.

"Squeeze my fingers Zoë." Nathan asked softly as he wiggled his fingers against her palms.

"Zoë squeeze my fingers for me sweet." Nathan asked but she didn't.

"Ho–" she rasped dryly as she looked up at the ceiling.

"Horatio is next to you Zoë, turn your head to the right and you'll see him." Nathan said softly but she didn't move. Nathan sighed to himself and watched her begin to bite her bottom lip. He gently pulled her lip from her teeth and then tenderly rubbed her shoulder as Joe moved closer again.

"Zoë, it's Joe." Joe said as he took hold of her hand and lifted it to his lips. He pulled her hand close to his chest as he leant over her a little and held her warm hand against his chest. "Can you look at me?" Joe asked as Alexx walked through the door. She stopped beside Eric as she watched Joe place is hand on the top of her head.

"Look at me Bunny, please." Joe pleaded but she didn't move her eyes off the specific tile on the ceiling. Joe sighed softly as he watched her eyes glisten from the light above them.

"Is she awake?" Alexx asked quietly and Nathan nodded at her.

"Zoë, blink once for no, twice for yes. Do you know where you are?" Nathan asked softly and she blinked once as he placed his right hand on her stomach as his left gently rubbed her shoulder.

"You're in hospital sweet, do you know who I am?" Nathan asked loudly and she blinked once again, but they waited to see if she was going to blink for a second time. Nathan pressed his lips together as he thought to himself briefly. Joe had moved back a little to give Nathan a good look at her, but still remained close. "Do you know who Joe is?" Nathan questioned and she blinked once again.

"Zoë you know who I am Bunny, it's Joe." Joe said as he leant over her more and ran his fingers down her left cheek lightly.

"Do you know Joe, Zoë?" Nathan questioned again and she blinked once again. Joe stood back and gently put her hand down before he ran a hand through his hair as he pressed his lips together as he exhaled sharply, extremely distressed. His heart began to pound as he watched Zoë and shook his head. They saw a tear fall from her right eye. Nathan quickly caught the tear with a gentle finger.

"Joe, calm down." Nathan said very warmly as he looked up at Joe before looking back down to Zoë.

"It's okay sweet, there's no need to worry at all, do you know who Horatio is?" Nathan asked and she blinked twice quickly.

"Is Horatio here?" Nathan asked and she didn't blink at all, Nathan placed his hand in her hair as Joe stayed back, distraught as he rubbed his lips with two fingers.

"Are you unsure if Horatio is here?" Nathan asked and she blinked twice continuing to give off her blank expression.

"Okay sweet, Horatio is here. He's next to you on your right." Nathan said softly as she took a deep breath as she opened her mouth slightly.

"Do you want Horatio here?" Nathan asked and she blinked twice.

"Okay sweet, he is just sleeping at the moment, but he's next to you." Nathan said softly and she let out a quiet moan.

"Zoë can you follow the light?" Nathan asked as he shone the light in her eyes and moved it from right to left and back, but her eyes remained static.

"Can you see, Zoë?" Nathan asked and she blinked once and Joe swallowed as he ran both hands through his hair as his jaw tensed.

"Can you feel me touching you?" Nathan asked and she blinked twice.

"Can you move your hand for me?" Nathan asked and she blinked once after trying.

"Okay sweet, you've done so well. Don't worry about not being about to see or move okay? It's possibly apart of the trauma, it'll hopefully come back to you soon, okay? You might be experiencing something called 'locked in syndrome' right now, but I'm hoping it'll pass, then again, it could just be something completely harmless. Just don't worry about it." Nathan said softly as he stroked her arm.

He then looked up at Eric and Alexx before looking back down to Zoë. "Zoë, do you know who Eric and Alexx are?" Nathan asked and she blinked once again.

"Try and sleep sweet, you're safe." Nathan said softly and she blinked twice and then closed her eyes again as Nathan played with her hair. They all took a step back once she fell into a deep sleep. Joe seemed to be distraught as he pulled at his hair and didn't take his eyes off her.

"At least she's awake, she knows Horatio, she'll probably remember us when she's better." Alexx said softly and both Nathan and Eric looked at her and nodded, they were absolutely ecstatic that she was able to communicate with them.

"She doesn't know who I am." Joe said quietly in disbelief as he continued to run his hands through his hair as he paced alongside the window.

"Joe, don't take it personally or worry about it, this is a part of her recovery. She didn't recognise us last time either. She didn't even recognise Horatio last time, so she's already doing better. Just give her time." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he turned and looked out of the window as he dropped his hands to his sides.

"I'm going to schedule her for a CT to get a good look at her spinal cord, I want to double check that there's no pressure on it." Nathan said softly as he wrote it down in her notes.

"Surely you need an MRI for a detailed look at her spinal cord?" Joe questioned as he turned around.

"Usually, yes… but Zoë has a pacemaker so we can't give her an MRI." Nathan said warmly, knowing Joe was upset.

"Can you get the same level of detail?" Joe questioned as his eyes set on Nathan, wanting to know everything.

"Not quite, but I can see if there's anything wrong using the CT. Don't worry, I wouldn't order it if it wasn't good for anything." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded while he exhaled and then put his hands in his pockets as he leant against the window. Alexx sat on the edge of Zoë's bed as they all chatted quietly, trying to keep their minds off the horrible thoughts that often crossed their minds.

2 hours passed and they turned to Horatio as he began to let out a few quiet moans. Nathan quickly walked over to him and placed his hand on Horatio's upper arm. "Horatio, can you hear me?" Nathan questioned and he let out a small moan.

"Zoë" he mumbled quietly, dryly. Nathan went through the same questions with Horatio except Horatio's form of communication was via moans. Horatio quickly fell back to sleep and Nathan took Zoë down for a CT while Alexx stayed with Eric to keep an eye on Horatio. They soon returned Zoë to the same room and relaxed back. Alexx was just about to leave when both Horatio's and Zoë's heart rates began to increase.

"Horatio" Zoë called out as she moved her arm just as Horatio opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He took a deep breath.

"Zoë" Horatio called out as he began to try and sit up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Alexx walked over to Zoë while Nathan quickly made his way over to Horatio. "Zoë, can you hear me?" Alexx questioned while Nathan placed his hand on Horatio's shoulder and tried to get him to lie back down.

"Horatio, can you hear me?" Nathan questioned clearly as Horatio looked to the end of the bed and continued to resist against Nathan. He concentrated on the blanket covering his legs as he took hold of Nathan's wrist and pulled it from his shoulder with a groan.

"Zoë, Zoë where are you beautiful?" Horatio questioned as he managed to fully sit up and pushed Nathan away completely.

"Horatio!" Zoë cried out as she pushed Alexx away and looked around frantically. "Horatio where are you?" Zoë questioned as she sat up and kicked the blanket off. "Emily where are you sweetie?" Zoë called out as she turned her head frantically, she looked around blindly, panicked. Horatio turned his head and looked over to Zoë and saw her sat on the bed.

"Zoë, calm down baby girl." Alexx said as she placed her hand back on Zoë's shoulder, Zoë quickly pushed Alexx's hand from her shoulder. Both Alexx and Nathan took a step back from the both of them and gave them space.

"Olive, Olivia?! Emily?" Horatio called out as he frantically looked around the room for both of his girls.

"Who are these people?" Nathan questioned quietly as he looked over to Alexx. She shrugged at him and looked just as dumfounded as he did.

"Horatio where are they? Where are you? I can't see Horatio, I can't see." Zoë panicked as she placed her hands down beside her hips and felt the soft cotton sheets and mattress below her hands.

"I'm here sweetheart." Horatio called as he looked over to her, panicked, his eyes darted from Zoë to the 4 other's in the room. It was very clear that he was confused.

"Emm! Where are you?" Zoë cried as she got up off the bed and tried to walk but she fell. Horatio saw her fall and tried to get off the bed himself but Eric had moved over to him and used a little force to keep him on the bed as he watched Nathan and Alexx quickly catch Zoe.

"Zoë, I need you to listen to me sweet, you're confused and you're really hurt. You can't get out of bed." Nathan said calmly as he held her close to himself.

"Horatio where are they?!" Zoë cried as both Nathan and Alexx sat her back on the bed as she tried to push them away but was much weaker than them.

"Zoë" Horatio called as he tried to get up but sat back when he felt pain radiate throughout his chest when Eric placed his other hand on Horatio's chest.

"Horatio! Horatio!" She cried as she fought against them, she managed to push Alexx away. Alexx stepped away as she could see Zoë getting highly aggravated and knew she'd lash out if she was restrained anymore.

"Zoë, I need you to stop, you need to lay down and calm down." Nathan said firmly as he stood in front of her as he placed his hands on her upper arms. Zoë planted both hands on his chest and pushed him back but he resisted.

"Nathan, I'd move away. She'll hurt you." Joe warned as he moved a little closer, he could see the anger in Zoë's eyes as her face flushed red. Nathan glanced to Joe and then looked back to Zoë as she gritted her teeth and began to use her legs to get him off. She caught him between his legs. Nathan let out a high-pitched groan as he let go of her arms and held himself as he immediately backed off just as Joe walked over to her. Alexx even felt his pain as Nathan slowly walked over to her and watched Joe crouch in front of Zoë as he lightly placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Zoë, it's Joe. It's Bunny. Listen to me, you need to stay in bed." Joe said warmly and clearly. Alexx looked over to Horatio as he began to resist against Eric again.

"Horatio, stay in that bed. It's Alexx." Alexx said firmly and Horatio looked over to her with a frown.

"Get away from me! I want Horatio!" Zoë cried as she pushed Joe away and in the process accidently pulled the drips from her arms. She then pulled the ECG leads from her chest and stood again. "Stay away from me, I want Horatio, I want Emily and I want Olivia, that's all, just give them to me please." Zoë begged as she kept hold of the bed with her left hand as she looked around the room blindly. They could all see her hyperventilating, but didn't dare move closer to her as they all knew she was capable of really hurting them. "Horatio" she cried.

"I'm here sweetheart." Horatio said clearly as he pushed Eric off once and for all just as she turned and looked in his direction. Eric quickly moved back more as she quickly made her way for his bed and walked straight into it. Horatio quickly wrapped his arms around her and then pulled her up. He sat her between his legs as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She began to relax a little once she was wrapped in his arms. They could all see the rage and fear in Horatio's eyes, they could see that neither of them were to be messed with. They knew rage and fear put together was a dangerous combination. Each of them knew that Horatio could turn into a very dangerous man if he felt that they were a threat to Zoë. Eric and Alexx knew it more than Nathan and Joe though.

"Where are we, where are my girls and who are you?" Horatio said firmly and they all looked at him, all confused. He removed his left arm from her waist, but his right remained protectively around Zoë.

"I can't see Horatio, where are they, who's got them?" Zoë begged as she hugged her legs close to herself. They all swallowed and then looked over to Eric's gun as it sat on the side beside Horatio's bed. Horatio glanced over to the side to see what they were looking at and saw the gun. Horatio then grabbed for the gun as Eric dived towards it but was too slow, Horatio quickly changed arms and held the gun in his right as he wrapped his left around Zoë protectively.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Eric quickly stood up straight and put his hands in the air, submissively.

"H, it's me, Eric." He said as Horatio trained the gun on him.

"Back off right now." Horatio warned lowly with fierce eyes.

"I'm going to ask one more time, where are we, where are my daughters and who are you?" Horatio growled lowly as he took the safety off.

"Horatio, you're very confused right now. You've been in a car accident, Zoë was involved too, you're both very confused. You've both received brain injuries." Nathan said as he approached slowly with his hands in the air, he could feel his heart beating furiously as his hands trembled slightly as he could see Horatio's finger on the trigger, ready to shoot.

"Where are our daughters?! If you've done anything to them I will kill the lot of you." Zoë shouted as she placed one of her hands over Horatio's thigh and felt his muscles tense slightly.

"Zoë, Horatio, you don't have any children. What you're talking about isn't real." Nathan said softly as he froze to the spot when he saw Horatio's finger tighten on the trigger.

"What are you talking about?! We have two daughters, Emily and Olivia. Don't tell me they're not real because I gave birth to them!" Zoë shouted loudly as she lunged forwards. Horatio held her back against him tightly and then rubbed his cheek against her ear to try and calm her down slightly.

"Zoë, you don't have children." Nathan said softly. Horatio aimed at him as Zoë took her hand from his thigh and placed her hands over his arm that was across her. His jaw tightened as his eyes narrowed on Nathan.

"What have you done with our girls? You can do anything to me, just let Zoë and the girls go free." Horatio said, desperately.

"We don't have anyone. Horatio, Zoë, you're in the hospital, you've both been in an accident. I don't know what you're talking about, but you don't have children." Nathan said softly and Horatio's eyes narrowed on him more as they hardened. Nathan swallowed when his gaze was captured by Horatio's icy stare.

"If we're in the hospital go and find Nathan Taylor, he was there when I had both of them!" Zoë cried as she began to tremble.

"I am Nathan Taylor, look at me Horatio, I am Nathan." He said holding his hands up in submission as he stepped forwards again.

"You're not Nathan." Horatio warned as he took aim at Nathan's chest, ready to pull the trigger if he took another step closer.

"Where are my babies, please just tell me where they are." Zoë pleaded as she ran her hands over Horatio's arm, feeling his soft skin as she began to hyperventilate again.

"Zoë I don't know what to say, you don't have children. You were pregnant with Maya, but you've not been pregnant since." Nathan swallowed as he looked from Horatio to Zoë and back many times.

"Don't you dare say her name! I don't even know you." Zoë shouted at him as her hands tightened around Horatio's hand and wrist as she gritted her teeth. Horatio took a deep breath and also grew a lot more angrier as he'd said Maya's name.

"Where's Joe or Eric, they'll find them." Zoë begged once she'd managed to calm herself down slightly.

"I'm here Zoë." Joe said as he stepped forward.

"Don't come any closer." Horatio warned as he trained the gun on Joe's forehead.

"Zoë, it's Joe." Joe said softly as he looked at her, trying to completely blank the gun out.

"No you're not." Zoë cried as her arms tightened over Horatio's arm. He pulled her back closer to him when he felt her becoming uncomfortable.

"Ask me anything Zoë, I am Joe." He pleaded her with his hands up in submission to show Horatio he meant no harm.

"What's our nick name for each other?" She questioned as she looked in his direction.

"Bunny, we came up with it when we were in Prep." Joe replied and she looked over to where he was standing more as she trained in on his voice.

"My middle name?" Zoë questioned firmly as she frowned slightly.

"Mae, the same as your mothers, Lily-Mae." He responded and she lowered her eyebrows.

"How do they know this Horatio?" Zoë questioned as she turned to him and felt her nose against his as her eyes wandered blindly.

"It's not hard information to find out, Zoë." Horatio said quietly as he kept his eyes on all 4 of them. Eric and Alexx remained behind Joe and Nathan as they knew they couldn't do anything to stop Horatio from potentially shooting, and they certainly didn't know enough about either of them to try and convince them that they were who they said they were.

"Keep it going." Nathan encouraged Joe quietly and Joe looked over to him and thought. He then looked back to Zoë, blanking out the gun again so he didn't panic.

"We moved in together at the beginning of our second year of University because you hated living in halls with people who you disliked; the boys tried it on with you constantly and the girls were forever whining about pointless things. You hated sharing a kitchen with them because it was a mess, you were forever cleaning up after them. When you weren't working or cleaning you were with me at my halls or I kept you company at yours. We also stayed together during our third year and our masters too." Joe said and she lowered her eyebrows as her grip loosened on Horatio's arm as she tilted her head while Horatio remained sceptical. Joe looked back over to Nathan. Nathan nodded at him again, encouraging him to go on as they saw Zoë thinking and really listening to his voice as well as what he was saying.

"You first met Mike when I couldn't fix your laptop, he gave it a quick look over in the library when we were studying, he was the year below us. He'd been plucking up the courage to talk to you for some time, he took the dive when he finally had the chance to, he got your number after he'd fixed your laptop. He was respectful and nice, he even asked you out for a coffee that day, but you declined. You said it was because you had too much to do, but once he'd left you admitted that you didn't want to get into any relationships, you wanted to get to know him, but as friends. But I knew you liked him because you had a smile on your face after he'd left, I even heard you mention him to David on the phone later that day. You had 3 books with you that day, Biochemistry, Fundamentals Chemistry and had borrowed one of my physics books as you wanted to read up on some physics." Joe pleaded as he moved closer.

"How do you know this? You can't be Joe." Zoë said as she shook her head, she was convinced it wasn't him because he sounded different. "Where's my girls, please. Stop lying to me and just give me our girls." She begged as tears fell from the corners of her eyes.

"I am Joe, Zoë. I promise you" He said and she shook her head. "I gave you a necklace for your 16th birthday, but it was pulled from your neck when you chased a criminal, he grabbed you by the throat in New York. It was the only necklace you ever wore until Horatio gave you the necklace you're wearing now. That ring on your right hand belonged to your mother, Lily. David gave it to you for your 18th birthday, you've not taken it off since. It fitted your hand perfectly." He tried again.

"What was the charm of the necklace? Who gave my mother that ring?" Zoë questioned firmly, still not believing him as Horatio's eyes remained set on Joe.

"A tear drop, and David gave your mother the ring for her 21st birthday as she'd had her eyes on it for months." Joe said softly.

Zoë frowned, she couldn't work out how he knew so much when she still believed he was a completely different person. Horatio also didn't believe him, he didn't believe that Nathan was Nathan either, they all looked different to him, they sounded different too. "What did the tear drop symbolise?" Zoë questioned as she placed both hands on Horatio's thighs either side of her.

"I'm not going into that here." Joe replied quietly, softly as his eyes jumped from Zoë's hostile facial expression to Horatio's threatening scowl.

"How many times did we sleep together?" Zoë questioned as she sat forwards only to be pulled back by Horatio.

"We slept together many times, I didn't keep account of that Zoë." Joe panicked as his heart began to pound wildly as he took a deep breath, waiting for Horatio to pull the trigger.

"I mean how many times did we have sex?" She questioned firmly as her expression hardened more.

"Zoë, not here, please." Joe said softly as he shook his head and glanced around to Eric, Alexx and Nathan. Nathan looked a little shocked to say the least.

"How many times?" Zoë pressed and he looked back to her and swallowed again.

"6 times, twice in your bed, 4 times in mine." Joe replied and she exhaled as she looked down with a frown.

"It can't be you, it's not. You're different." Zoë said sharply as she raised her head again.

"What else do you want from me? Zoë, please believe me." Joe exhaled as he ran his hands through his hair, getting frustrated. '_How can she not believe me still? I've given her only things I would know. What is going on in their heads?'_ Joe thought to himself as he opened his mouth to breathe a lot more deeply as he was getting wound up.

"Give her personal things." Nathan replied quietly.

"How personal?" Joe questioned him as he ran his hands through his hair again as he furrowed his brow.

"As personal as you can get without discussing things she wants to keep hidden." Nathan said and Joe exhaled and thought as he looked down as he interlocked his fingers on top of his head.

"You could only hug me, David and Jen when you were younger, David got you a dog after you fell in love with dogs after meeting his friends dog. You named her Abby, you got over your phobia of dogs and let Abby sleep on your bed. Your brother had your mothers eyes, like you do, David had a tattoo on his wrist made for you, as he called you his Little Butterfly–"

"I know all of this, anyone could find out this information if they really want to." Horatio growled at him. Joe took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair once again and then held them up to show Horatio no harm.

"You beat up a boy in 7th grade because he was picking on everyone, including me. You locked our teacher in the classroom after he threatened to call David, you took down a teacher with a rugby tackle in front of the whole school when you were 12 and got suspended. You only did it because she teased you about something very personal and didn't realise just how serious the situation was, she was fired due to the seriousness of what she'd been saying. The first bra you wore was baby blue, you couldn't wait to show me. You got your period at the age of 15 when we were at David's alone while they went shopping and you panicked then made me look at the loo to make sure you weren't dying from major blood loss. You used to burst into hysterics whenever anyone touched your back and you hated it when anyone was closer than a meter to you with the few exceptions. Our teachers knew to keep their distance at all times and had to alert you if they were going to be approaching you, those who forgot never forgot to alert you ever again. You had a different nail colour every week at school and Uni, you hated the green post-it notes so gave them to me so you could start on the pink ones. You used to love and hate watching horror movies and made me sit through them all the time, you loved that they'd scare you but then refused to go to the loo without me in Uni, I never understood that. You hated the colour pink until you turned 16 when you decided that you actually liked it. You managed to burn supernoodles once. You smacked a girl in the mouth at school because she tried to intimidate me and I was too much of a wimp to argue with her. You spent your teenage years wishing you were Kaitlin. You climbed onto the school roof for a dare and they had to get fire and rescue out to get you down." He stopped to pause and think of more personal things he could say. He knew he had more chance of her believing him if threw as much personal information at her as he possibly could.

"You threw a teachers calculator out of the 3rd floor window and challenged them to a mental arithmetic test when they mocked you about your intellect. David could never tell you off for being bad at school because he had your way of thinking, he could see the logic in why you did everything you did. You only ever did bad things if there was a reasonable explanation for it, the reason usually being that you were defending those around you from bullies. You rang me straight after your first meeting with Horatio to tell me how well it went and how lovely he was, you knew you'd get on really well here. You're a black-belt in 3 martial arts, and a brown belt in Karate. David taught you how to play the guitar, I taught you how to play the piano after David fired your piano teacher because you said that you hated her as she was a "patronising pretentious whore" – your words exactly. What more do you want Zoë?" Joe begged and they all looked at him, shocked, but they all wished it was enough for her to believe him. Zoë took a deep breath as she placed her hands over her knees as she looked down and took the information in as she thought to herself. '_Only Joe would know all of that, there is no-one on this Earth that would know that.'_ She thought to herself.

"Zoë please, darling." Joe begged as he tilted his head and set his soft eyes on her as she looked back up in his direction as Horatio frowned at him.

"What was my father's name?" Zoë questioned and he remained silent as he just looked at her.

"What was my father's name?" Zoë pressed.

"I'm not saying his name, Zoë." Joe replied simply as he crossed his arms and stood strong.

"What was his name?" Zoë raised her voice.

"Tell her!" Nathan whispered firmly as he looked at Joe. Joe glanced to him and then looked back to Zoë.

"I'm not saying his name, you know I can't do that. You know you can't either." Joe said firmly and she looked in his general direction with her facial expression softening.

Zoë closed her eyes for a moment and then turned her head back to face Horatio. "It has to be him." Zoë said quietly to Horatio. Horatio exhaled and pressed his lips together, even he couldn't deny that only Joe would know that about her. He looked from her soft expression and wandering eyes to Joe.

"Zoë, can he move closer to you?" Nathan asked softly and Zoë quickly looked back.

"Why?" Zoë said frantically with a slightly panicked facial expression.

"Because his smell might help you to recognise him. You're very sensitive to smell, Zoë. Horatio, you know she is." Nathan said softly and Horatio swallowed, they could tell he didn't like the idea of anyone being too close to them as he continued to aim the gun at them.

"I don't have any cologne on though. I've not showered in a day." Joe looked round to Nathan.

"Do you have your cologne on you?" Nathan questioned and Joe nodded. "Put it on." Nathan said and Joe quickly moved and pulled it from his bag and squirted it. He put it back and moved over to the bed.

"Horatio, please lower the gun." Joe asked quietly and Horatio glared at him. "Please, I'm not used to people pointing guns at me." Joe asked as he looked down the barrel of the gun. They knew that if he was to lower the gun for anyone it would be Zoë. They just hoped she asked him to.

"Lower it, please." Zoë asked him and he lowered the gun after a few moments, but still kept the safety off, ready to shoot if he felt that Zoë was in danger.

"Come closer." Zoë said as she looked in his direction and Horatio's arm tightened around her as he pulled her closer to him so her back was in contact with his stomach and chest.

"Closer please." Zoë asked and he stepped up to the bed.

"Put your left foot on the bed." She said and Joe lifted his foot.

"Where's your ankle?" She asked and he took a light hold of her hand and she took hold of his ankle.

"It's got the plates in?" Zoë asked as she looked up at Joe as she could feel the metal plates holding his ankle together after an accident a few years ago.

"Yes darling." Joe replied with a relieved sigh.

"It's really you?" She asked with a confused expression.

"Yes darling, it really is. That is really Nathan too." He said softly.

"Where's Emm and Olive? Please tell me Joe. Please tell me who's got them." Zoë begged as she reached out for him desperately. He didn't dare reach back as he could see that Horatio's hand was still firmly holding the gun.

"Zoë… you don't know anyone called Emm and Olive." He said softly with a sigh.

"They're our girls Joe! It's Olivia's first birthday today, we were at her party. Emily wouldn't leave you alone, she adores you Joe, what are you talking about?!" Zoë questioned as tears began to fall from her eyes again.

"Zoë, I don't know what you're talking about." He said softly as he shook his head gently.

"We got back from the Seychelles, I got pregnant with Emm, she was born 7.8lb, Alexx and Nathan were even there! You nearly cried when you held her in your arms for the first time. I fell pregnant with Olive when she was 6 months old. I gave birth to her and she was 6.7lb, you had Emily with you until we came home with Olivia. We were celebrating Olivia's first birthday and now we're here and I can't see." Zoë said as tears fell from her eyes more rapidly as her voice broke many times.

"Zoë, that didn't happen darling, you never married Horatio." Joe said softly as he looked to Horatio as he looked like he was about to explode.

"What are you talking about? We married and then went to the Seychelles for 2 weeks, We found Zoë was 4 weeks pregnant 5 weeks after we returned. You felt Emily kick for the first time when Zoë was 22 weeks. It was the first baby you've felt kick. Now where are our girls? You may be Joe, but I will shoot you if you've done anything to them." Horatio warned dangerously lowly.

"You're both very confused. It must have been some sort of dream or hallucination, but you were both involved in a car crash last week, today is your wedding day, the wedding had to be cancelled. You've both had head injuries, bad ones at that. Please believe me when I say that you don't have children." Nathan begged as he stepped forwards and stood next to Joe.

"No, you're telling us lies. It was real." Zoë shook her head, not believing them.

Eric stepped forwards and to the side of Joe. "H, please give me the gun." Eric asked softly and Horatio looked at him and frowned lightly.

"Eric?" Horatio questioned and Eric nodded. "Eric, you wouldn't lie to us, where are our girls? They're safe, aren't they?" Horatio questioned and they even saw the tears in his eyes, he was clearly distraught.

"H, you don't have children. You really don't. Today is your wedding day." Eric pleaded and then swallowed as Horatio looked up at the clock for the date. Horatio then looked at his watch with a deep frown.

"It's the 11th of August." Horatio said quietly in disbelief.

"They can't be telling the truth, can they?" Zoë asked as she looked round to Horatio, he studied her confused expression. He felt as confused as she looked, he didn't know what was real and what was not.

"I don't know, I don't know sweetheart." Horatio said lightly as his jaw slacked, trying to work everything out.

She raised her hands to her head. "Back off please." She asked Joe and Joe moved away. She bowed her head and put her arms around her head and began to sob, she was trying her hardest to accept what they were saying, but it was incredibly difficult. She didn't want to accept what they were saying, neither did Horatio.

"Zoë, don't touch your head sweet." Nathan asked when he saw her squeezing her head out of frustration. He took a step forwards and tilted his head as he looked at the both of them tenderly.

She head-butted her knees out of frustration as she hugged her legs close to her chest. Nathan winced as his jaw tightened when he saw her head connect with her hard kneecap. "This can't be true! It was so real! It happened, it can't not be real." Zoë cried loudly as Horatio leant forwards to try and pull her back up so she sat up straight as he watched her try and head-butt her knee again. "I think they're telling the truth Horatio, how? How can this happen? You saw it too, you experienced it to! It must be real!" Zoë questioned as she took a deep breath as her headache multiplied. He exhaled as he remained silent, still in shock and still in disbelief. He felt Zoë's head fall back to his shoulder as her arms fell to her sides as her legs fell to one side just as her entire body relaxed.

"Zoë?" Nathan questioned but he didn't get a response, but he still didn't step forwards as Horatio had a hold of the gun.

"Zoë?" Horatio asked as he pulled her up and then dropped the gun and then pulled her head up. "Zoë?!" Horatio panicked as he loosened his grip around her waist and rubbed his cheek against hers. Eric quickly stepped forwards and picked up the gun and quickly put the safety on.

"Lay her down." Nathan said as he pushed Horatio back to the flat bed with her in his arms. Horatio pushed his arms away and then tried to push him away. He tried to sit back up. "I'm only checking her over Horatio." Nathan said firmly as he stepped forwards again and prevented him from sitting up as he placed two fingers on Zoë's neck.

"Get away from her." Horatio panicked as he pushed Nathan away again.

"Horatio, I need to check her over, please." Nathan asked and Horatio began to hyperventilate as he looked around, wanting help from Eric. Eric quickly walked around the bed and placed his hand on Horatio's forearm tenderly.

"Horatio, Nathan needs to check Zoë over. Please let him do his job. She's safe, I promise you that." Eric said softly and Horatio looked back to Nathan and then nodded at him.

"You don't have to let her go, just let me look her over." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded. Nathan quickly looked into her eyes and then took her pulse. Nathan then ran his hands over Zoë's head as Alexx walked over to the end of his bed.

"Alexx what's happening?" Horatio questioned and she saw his desperateness and fear.

"Just let Nathan do his job honey, you're both going to be fine, I promise you." Alexx said softly and Horatio just stared at her, feeling so confused. He looked back up to Nathan to make sure he wasn't hurting Zoë.

"Horatio, I'm taking these leads off your head and putting them on Zoë's; I need to check the pressure in her head." Nathan said and Horatio looked over to Alexx, silently asking her opinion. Alexx nodded at him softly with tears in her eyes, she felt like she was going to burst into tears herself as she empathised with Horatio. Horatio then nodded at Nathan to give him the go ahead. Nathan delicately took the wires from Horatio's head and placed them on Zoë's and looked up to the monitor for the pressure.

"The pressure in her head has risen slightly." Nathan said as he ran his hands through his hair as he shook his head, not happy with the elevated pressure. "She must have pushed on the skull fracture." Nathan said as he turned to Alexx who nodded at him and looked at the number for herself.

"Skull fracture?" Joe questioned frantically with wide eyes, looking completely surprised.

"Yes, I didn't say anything because people panic when they hear skull fracture." Nathan said as he looked to Joe's gawping mouth.

"What are you going to do? Do something." Joe ordered Nathan.

"I can't not yet, it's only slightly elevated, it's not causing any damage, she's probably just passed out." Nathan said confidently, but didn't really feel all that confident in himself as he glanced to Alexx. '_I'll get her another CT if she's out for more than a minute. She could have disrupted the blood flow, the pressure has just gone up again. Fluid must be pooling around the fracture. I can't panic Horatio though. I hope she's not done any damage to herself.'_ Nathan thought as he looked back to Horatio just as his eyes rolled up as his heart rate lowered from the erratic speed it was. His head fell back as his grip on Zoë relaxed.

"Horatio?" Nathan called and then checked his eyes.

"They've both passed out." Nathan exhaled as Alexx brought round Zoë's monitor and let Nathan attach the leads to her as she stood at the end of the bed, pushing her tears away. Nathan very delicately lifted Zoë slightly and pulled her towards him so she wasn't laying on Horatio. Alexx finally broke when Nathan announced that both of them had fallen asleep after they briefly came back round. Alexx quickly headed for the door and both Eric and Nathan quickly stopped her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Alexx, what's wrong? I've never seen you cry." Nathan said as he embraced her.

"He's so helpless, I've never seen him so helpless or desperate before, not even when Zoë was declared dead." Alexx cried as she took two fistfuls of his polo shirt. "This is going to destroy them; they've woken up from the perfect dream world and find out that the children they've been dreaming about are not real. This is going to obliterate them." Alexx cried.

"It's early stages yet, they may remember the crash, they may remember everything and finally believe us." Nathan said very softly, trying to calm her as he rubbed her back as Eric placed his hand on her shoulder and stood beside them.

"It doesn't matter if they believe us or not, they've woken up and their children don't exist. If I suddenly woke up and was told that my children were a fragment of my imagination I'd be crushed. They'll have to mourn, they'll grieve again! I saw what it did to them with Maya, I don't think they can take anymore. Look at them, they're scared, they're confused. Horatio's just pointed a gun at us. I can't take this, let alone them having to handle something like this. It's going to rip them up and spit them out and I can't watch that, not Horatio, not Zoë." Alexx said as she pulled away from Nathan and looked down as she wiped her eyes with the back of her shaky hands.

"They're stronger than you think Alexx, I know what they went through, Zoë confessed everything to me. I know what she was feeling, she told me. They can do this as long as they have each other." Nathan tried assuring her as he rubbed her upper arm and lowered his head to get a look into her eyes but she continued to look down.

"They can't, not this time." Alexx shook her head and looked down to Nathan's converse. '_If I'm this affected by it, then they're going to be much worse. They're going to wish that they were back in that dream, they're going to wish that they never woke up.'_ Alexx thought to herself. She glanced up and around to Horatio and Zoë and saw them sleeping peacefully next to each other, both breathing at the same rate at the same time. They looked so peaceful. '_Perhaps their back in their dream? I hope they are because they obviously feel truly happy in the dream, but then it just makes it all the more harder to accept when they come back to reality.'_ Alexx thought to herself as she looked back down.

"They can, they're going to need support, but they can do this. You know they can, you just don't want to see them struggle. They're going to struggle, but they'll get through it. If all fails, she has Joe and Horatio, they are the two people on this Earth who I'm sure can help her through it." Nathan said warmly as he continued to rub her upper arm in hope of giving her comfort.

"Who's going to help Horatio? You know he doesn't open up to anyone." Alexx argued sharply as she looked back up to him, heartbroken.

"Zoë, Zoë will get him through it. You don't understand just how much they mean to each other. You've not seen them like I have. You've not seen the love and support they give each other, you've not seen that connection they have or the understanding they share, even at their weakest and most vulnerable. You haven't seen the sheer determination they have, when we'd all lost hope for Zoë, Horatio didn't. He pulled her through it. Even when she didn't know who he was, there was still that connection between them. He pulled her out of that hole they fell in after Maya was taken, she pulled him out of that same hole when he needed it. I know they can do this, don't give up on them because they sure as Hell wouldn't give up on each other or anyone else for that matter. Alexx, don't be the person I once was. You taught me to never give up, to never underestimate those around because they can be quite surprising if given the chance and support. Give them that chance and that support and I guarantee that you'll be surprised by what they do with it." Nathan said as he placed his hand on the side of her face and she nodded at him as another tear fell from her eye. Nathan quickly swiped it away and then removed his hand when she looked over to Horatio and Zoë.

"I don't want to see them suffer any more than they have. They only deserve the best, yet they're only ever dealt the worst hand you can get. If anyone on this Earth deserves happiness, it's the both of them." Alexx shook her head and looked down at the floor before the bed.

"I know, none of us want to see them suffer, we all want them to be happy. But they need us to stay strong for them." Nathan said softly and Alexx nodded as she looked back to Nathan, looking determined. '_He's right, what's happened has happened. They're going to need us to help them through this and I can't be of any help if I'm crying about the past. They are strong, they will get through this.'_ Alexx thought to herself.

"I'm sorry, I'm okay." Alexx said as she dried the rest of her tears and Nathan nodded at her with a small smile. "Thank you." Alexx said to him and he gave her a small smile and then rubbed her back. "I need to go though, please let me know if anything else happens." Alexx said softly and Nathan nodded. "Even if it's 4 in the morning, anything please." Alexx said softly and Nathan nodded with certainty as he placed a hand on his hip.

"I will." Nathan said softly and Alexx nodded and turned back to Horatio and Zoë. She slowly walked over to them as she composed herself further.

"I'll see you both later, don't you worry, Nathan's going to take care of you both." Alexx said softly as she ran her hand through Zoë's hair and then kissed the left side of her forehead.

"You behave, Horatio." She said with a small smile as she reached over and swiped away the small bead of moisture, perhaps a tear that had formed at the corner of his eye. She then promptly left.

"I think I've just learnt a whole lot more about Zoë in the past 20 minutes than in over the year I've worked with her." Eric said softly as he looked at both Horatio and Zoë sleeping.

"Please try and rid those things of your memories, they're things she and I share and that's how she wants it ideally." Joe said softly and they nodded at him silently. "Before you ask, yes we have been in a relationship, we just didn't have much sex." Joe said and they nodded.

"I wasn't thinking anything about it." Eric said and Nathan agreed.

"How long did you go out for?" Nathan asked softly, Joe looked up at him and saw his curiosity.

"Just over a year." Joe exhaled as he sat and placed his hand over Zoë's. "Yes, I know, a year and we only had sex 6 times. I was her first intimate relationship, her first proper relationship, we didn't have sex all the time, she wanted it to be special, and that's what it was. We took it slowly. I look back now and I know that if we hadn't have dated, she would have never dated Mike, her husband and she wouldn't be with Horatio. She was very timid when it came to intimacy and close relationships. She wouldn't even hold hands before me, she could only do that with me because we've known each other since we were 6, she knows I'd never hurt her. She needed someone she really trusted to gently introduce her into the dating world if you get what I mean?" Joe said as he rubbed his face and they both nodded, surprised.

"May I ask why you guys split?" Nathan asked as he sat.

"If you haven't noticed, we have a relationship like siblings. Our relationship turned into this relationship and we could no longer do anything intimate with the other, no longer felt the same feelings we did. We loved and love each other as siblings would. I'm an only child, so is she. We were best friends up until the relationship, after that we felt like we were brother and sister." Joe said softly and they nodded. "I think Alexx is right though, they're going to struggle." Joe said softly as he lightly squeezed her hand.

"I know, but they'll do it." Nathan said confidently.

"You do know she tried something absolutely awful after Maya died, don't you?" Joe questioned quietly with a frown.

"Yes, and it's because of that that I know they'll be fine. She did open up to me fully, Joe. I know what happened. I know she can do this as long as Horatio is there for her, and I know he can do it as long as she's there for him. They both know what they need to do to get through this." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded.

"As long as you're sure, because he really is the only person in this world who would stop her from doing it again." Joe said softly.

"I think you have the influence over her to stop her as well." Nathan replied.

"I don't, it's been tried and tested. I had to fight her when Horatio faked his death to save her from Ron Saris. I had to pin her to the floor and take her gun from her. If I wasn't stronger than her and if I didn't have martial arts training, she would have blown her head off." Joe said as he looked to Nathan and Nathan looked at him wide eyed as his jaw dropped open. Eric's facial expression resembled that of Nathan's.

"Don't tell her I told you that, please." Joe begged and both Eric and Nathan nodded at him as they closed their gawping mouths. "Just as long as he's on this Earth, she wouldn't do anything like that." Joe said sure of himself.

"I am going to put everything they need and want into place, they're strong enough to do this. From the looks of things, they're just very confused, no other damage seems to have been done." Nathan said softly and both Eric and Joe nodded.

"Will their confusion pass? Why can't Zoë see?" Joe asked.

"Their confusion should pass. I can't give you a definite answer with respect to Zoë's sight, I'll have to send her latest scans up to the neurosurgeons. She did receive a blow to the back of the head, where the visual cortex is located, so there would have been some damage there. If her pressure remains high, I am going to order another CT, but this time inject some contrast into her blood stream so we can see the blood flow in her brain." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded at him.

"And the pressure now isn't doing any harm to her?" Joe asked and Nathan shook his head.

"It's only elevated a minimal amount." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded looking a little more relaxed.

"Emily and Olivia, they're names that are very Zoë like." Joe exhaled as he stroked the back of her knuckles.

"I don't understand how they both woke up at the same time and both seemed to experience the same dream." Eric said as he looked to Nathan for an answer as he relaxed back in the chair.

"I think it's just a coincidence that they woke at the same time. The dream part isn't really my area, but if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it's because they both want the same thing. They want happiness, they want marriage, they want children and they want you guys in their lives. There could be minor differences in their dreams, but only subtle. They share the same basic desires. That's only a guess though, I really can't explain it and really don't think anyone else could as well." Nathan said softly and Joe exhaled.

"Why did neither of them recognise us?" Joe asked.

"They'd just come out of a coma, it's a miracle they recognised each other. I am baffled at how alert they both were if I'm honest with you. Zoë might have some trust issues with you for a little while, but they should pass. Well done in bringing her round to us earlier though. I'm sure Horatio would have shot us if he thought we were a threat to Zoë, which is exactly what he thought we were." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he thought back to Horatio aiming the gun at him, he felt his insides clench again, it was the first and last time he ever wanted a gun pointed at him.

"I honestly thought that you'd blown it when you didn't answer her question about her father's name." Nathan said softly as he sorted his shirt out and then crossed his legs, with his ankle resting on his knee.

"I can't." Joe mumbled as he looked down.

"Do you not know her father's name then?" Nathan asked curiously as he tilted his head and placed his fingertips together to create a steeple.

"I do, but it's forbidden to be said. She's not even allowed to say it, so she was testing me because she knew I wouldn't answer." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded. They all sat back and relaxed, all hoping for the best for both Horatio and Zoë. They all looked over to Zoë as she let out a few moans as she sat up. She raised her hand to her forehead and pressed on the fracture as she glanced at them and then turned onto her other side and snuggled up with Horatio. Joe quickly got up and pulled the blanket right up and covered her exposed back where the gown wasn't done up. He wasn't sure if Eric was aware of her back so thought it was best to cover her in case.

"Is she okay?" Eric asked as he watched Zoë intensely, but she'd completely relaxed again as she snuggled with Horatio.

"Yeah, she usually does that. Usually she'll do that and say something though." Joe said softly and Eric nodded. Nathan got up as he'd noticed that the pressure in her head spiked. He lightly ran his hands over her head and felt the right side of her forehead to see if she'd disturbed the fracture but it felt fine.

"What?" Joe questioned as he stood and moved to stand beside Nathan as he gently turned her head briefly and quickly opened her eyes. Nathan quickly checked her eyes until she moaned at him and began to move to swat his hands away. He quickly removed his hands and let her move towards Horatio again. She turned her head towards the pillow and wedged her face between the bed and Horatio's shoulder.

"Don't worry, her pressure went up briefly, it's come back down now." Nathan said softly as he moved back, looking relatively content. Joe turned and looked at him with a slight frown. "She's fine, don't worry." Nathan assured him and he nodded. Joe sat back down next to the bed and looked at Zoë for a moment.

"I'm going to get something to eat, do you guys want anything?" Nathan asked softly as he turned to Joe and Eric.

"I'll come down with you." Eric said softly.

"Don't worry about that, I was going to get something from the food trolley they bring round, believe it or not, it's not as disgusting as you first may think, especially as most of the patients here are private anyway." Nathan said softly and Eric nodded.

"Whatever you're having then." Eric said softly and Joe gave him a nod, indicating that he wanted the same. '_Whatever he has can't be that repulsive.'_ Eric thought to himself as he glanced to Horatio and Zoë.

"I'll be back." Nathan said softly before he disappeared. Joe exhaled as he lent forwards and rubbed his face with both hands. Eric looked over to him and could see that he was tormented, it was clear that he was not used to seeing Zoë so unwell, or was used to it, but still hated it.

"At least she recognised you and didn't think you were someone else. When she came around after her coma last time, she thought Wolfe was her brother. He was distraught. I don't think she recognises me." Eric said softly and Joe looked up at him and lowered his eyebrows, but looked at him sympathetically, he could see that Eric was a little hurt by the fact that she didn't recognise him. But he knew that Eric didn't say very much at all and her sight wasn't working so knew that was the most probable cause.

"I don't understand the whole cologne thing." Joe said to Eric as he looked up at him for an answer.

"She's very sensitive to the smells around her. It's what she uses to define different people, especially when she's unwell like this. It's what helped her to recognise Horatio last time. She only recognised me when I got close enough. She went months without talking to Alexx because she didn't know who Alexx was to her, it wasn't until Alexx changed her perfume back to what it was before she was poisoned that Zoë started talking to her again. It's a subconscious thing, she doesn't actively go out smelling people." Eric explained softly and Joe nodded. Nathan returned shortly after and they ate what he had provided.

"How do you get Zoë to eat that when she's in?" Joe asked curiously as he placed the knife and fork on the plate and then put it on the side.

"I don't, I'll go down to the café and get her a sandwich or something." Nathan said as he looked back up at Joe with a soft expression.

"Yeah, I was going to say, if you managed to get her to eat that I would have been more shocked than I was to find that you were her friend." Joe said with a small chuckle. They all looked over to the door as it began to open and saw Alexx walk in.

"Alexx? What are you doing here?" Nathan asked warmly.

"I couldn't leave them, my husband knows all about it. How are they?" She asked as she slowly made her way over to Nathan.

"They're about the same." Nathan sighed lightly and Alexx nodded. She sat down and made herself comfortable, but couldn't help but feel bad for the both of them. They all slowly fell asleep.

XXXXXXXX

- "I can't believe Olivia was 1 yesterday, time seems to be flying by." Zoë smiled warmly while she lay back in bed with Horatio. He turned his head to her when he felt her hand snake around his body and smiled as she pulled herself closer.

"Tell me about it, I think Emily loved it even more. She got just as much attention as Olive did." Horatio smiled at her as he began to lovingly stroke her side. Zoë lightly giggled as she nodded.

"Anyway, good morning handsome, how was your sleep?" Zoë asked warmly as she moved her hand to his chest to lightly play with his chest hair.

"Good morning beautiful. My sleep was okay, how about yours?" He asked warmly before they gave each other an affectionate 'good morning' kiss.

Zoë put her head back down on his pillow as she moved one of her legs to lay in between his. "Hmm… I had a nightmare and I have a cracking headache." She murmured quietly as she looked into Horatio's blue eyes.

"I did too. Go and take some painkillers when we get up." Horatio admitted as he pulled her closer and then kissed her forehead lightly.

"What was yours about?" Zoë questioned softly as she lifted her head, genuinely interested.

"Well, I woke up in a hospital bed, you were beside me in a bed of your own. Apparently we'd been involved in a car crash and–" he began softly as he continuously rubbed her side.

"What? I had the same dream. They tried convincing us that they were Joe and Nathan. They then tried to tell us that Emily and Olivia weren't real and that we never married. It felt really real to me, did it feel real to you?" Zoë asked as Horatio frowned at her while she frowned at him. They both grew quite confused as they realised that they shared the same nightmare.

"Yes, that's what my nightmare was about. Yes, it also felt slightly real, but dreams do that to you." Horatio said warmly and she nodded.

"I never want that dream again, I tell you. I think I nearly had a heart attack. All I wanted to do was wake up from it." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded, agreeing. Zoë then moved away from Horatio when they heard crying coming from down the hall.

"Emm's having a nightmare, she'll want cuddles with you." Zoë said softly with a gentle smile as she sat up.

"She'll want cuddles with both of us." Horatio said softly when they heard the crying get louder and both got out of bed quickly to head towards her room." -

XXXXXXXX

Late that night once they were all asleep, Zoë woke once again and sat up in the bed. She tried pulling on the wires and things. She let out a few moans, in the process waking Nathan. He looked over to her in the very dim light and saw her fiddling with a few things as she let out a couple more distressed moans.

"Hey sweet, are you okay?" Nathan whispered as he walked over to her and crouched to her level as he placed his hand on her upper arm. She briefly glanced over to him but her concentration was soon back on the wires. She let out another moan and continued to pull on the wires as she bit her lip hard.

Nathan took her hands and very gently pulled them away from the wires as he began to run his thumbs over the backs of her hands, feeling her small knuckles. "What do you want, Zoë? I'll get you whatever you want." Nathan said quietly and warmly, he could see from the look in her eyes that she wasn't well, she definitely looked a lot more distant and dazed than she did previously that day. He tilted his head as he looked into her dark eyes, they looked almost sad and very confused.

"Can you talk to me, Zoë?" Nathan asked softly. She pulled her right hand from his grip and placed it over her stomach as she looked back into his eyes as her jaw slacked slightly.

"Are you hungry?" Nathan asked and she shook her head and then raised her hand to her hair as it fell in front of her face and tried to remove it. She shook her head a little before Nathan reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Do you need the loo?" Nathan asked and she nodded at him as she looked back into his eyes as she stuck her tongue out.

"Are you thirsty as well?" Nathan asked warmly and she shook her head.

"Okay sweet, lay back and I'll put a catheter in." Nathan said softly and she let out a loud moan as she shook her head and pulled her tongue back in. He was certain she didn't even realise she'd done it.

"Okay, okay sweet. We'll go to the loo then." Nathan whispered softly as he took out her lines and then pulled the wires from her skin and head.

"Mmm" she moaned loudly as she pulled at his shirt.

"Okay sweet, I'm getting there." Nathan said quietly as he gently took her hands "Slowly, okay?" Nathan said softly as she gripped his hands back and slowly got off the bed. He quickly sorted her gown out and then walked with her into the en-suite.

"I'll be outside, is that okay?" Nathan asked and Zoë nodded as she released his hand. He could see that her eyes were tracking a lot better, but whether she had her full vision back was a different question. "I'm not going to close the door fully though, is that okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded again and Nathan pulled the door too but left it mostly open, but so she had her privacy. Zoë stood in the middle of the en-suite and looked around, she felt really confused. She wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the cold floor beneath her feet.

"Zoë, are you okay sweet?" Nathan asked softly when he didn't hear any movement at all. "Can I come in?" Nathan asked quietly as he stood by the door.

"Yeah" she said very quietly and he quickly opened the door and walked in.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked and she shrugged as she dropped her hands to her sides.

"Do you need the loo?" Nathan asked softly and she nodded as she tilted her head and began to play with the gown by her sides.

"Do you know where the loo is, Zoë?" Nathan asked and she shook her head.

"Okay sweet, wait here, don't move, I'll get Alexx." Nathan asked softly and she nodded. Nathan walked back out and placed his hand delicately on Alexx's shoulder to gently wake her. She woke and looked up at Nathan.

"Zoë needs the loo, she won't allow a catheter fitted and she's struggling on her own, would you mind helping her, please?" Nathan whispered and Alexx nodded as she quickly stood and walked into the en-suite. She closed the door too and then turned Zoë with a gentle smile.

"Hey baby girl, it's Alexx, I'm going to help you, okay?" Alexx asked warmly and Zoë nodded as she lightly bit her lip. Alexx walked over to her and placed her hand on Zoë's lower back.

"That's the toilet, Zoë. You need to sit on that after pulling your underwear down, okay? Can you do that?" Alexx asked and she nodded and then walked over to it and pulled at her gown. Alexx then quickly untied her gown at the back and pulled the gown forwards and clumped it in front of her, they weren't the easiest things to wear even when completely fine. She looked up at Alexx, needing instructions.

"Pull your underwear down, Zoë." Alexx said softly and Zoe did as she asked and then sat down and looked up at her, Alexx could see that her eyes weren't focussing on hers, so she knew her sight hadn't completely returned if it had returned at all. "Well done." Alexx said softly. Once she'd finished and wiped she got up and pulled her underwear back up. Alexx turned Zoe and tied the gown back up around her waist and neck.

"Wash your hands baby." Alexx said softly and Zoe looked up at her.

"In the sink" she said softly as she directed Zoe to the basin. She ran the hot water and then began to wash her hands while Alexx smiled gently at Zoë, she knew Zoë was on her way back because of her stubbornness to use the loo and not have a catheter. Zoe then pulled the tissue and dried them when Alexx instructed. Alexx then took Zoe arm and put her other hand around her back and began to walk out with her.

"Well done baby, you did good." Alexx said warmly as she turned the light off and walked with her around her bed. She reached out for Nathan as Nathan gave her and Alexx a smile. Alexx let go of Zoë and allowed her to walk over to Nathan.

"Do you want your own bed, or do you want to share with Horatio?" Nathan asked quietly, but he knew that Joe had woke.

"Horatio" she said loudly and Nathan nodded at her and then helped her up onto Horatio's bed. He put her leads and lines back in and then gave her a smile while she sat there and let him do it as she watched.

"Well done Zoë. Try and sleep now." Nathan said softly and she turned to throw her arms around Horatio, much like a teddy bear and hugged him as Nathan pulled the blanket back up. Horatio groaned a little when she disturbed him, but he didn't wake. He wrapped his arms around Zoë and pulled her in closer as Nathan sat back down.

"How is she?" Joe asked quietly as he looked to Nathan and Alexx.

"Highly confused."Alexx said softly and Joe nodded.

"Can she use the loo on her own?" Joe asked softly.

"She needs a little bit of help, it should become clearer for her though." Nathan and Alexx replied and Joe nodded.

He looked back over to Zoë and smiled softly as they'd embraced each other, Horatio had embraced her instinctively as he didn't wake, he just pulled her closer. "I've never seen her sleep with anything other than a teddy bear or her dog like that. She likes her space in the bed." Joe chuckled as he looked back over to Nathan as he relaxed back in the chair.

"I've only ever seen them sleep like that. I'd usually find them in bed together in the morning when I do my rounds." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded with a smile. They both closed their eyes as they sat back and were woken by the sunlight a few hours later. Eric finally woke and Nathan got them both a cup of coffee before disappearing off to do rounds after a quick shower and change at home. Horatio began to wake around 8.45am and Eric got up and placed his hand on Horatio's arm, gently. Horatio opened his eyes, squinting. He took a deep breath and then lightly kissed Zoë's forehead while she continued to sleep next to him. He then dryly swallowed and turned his head to look at Eric when Eric moved his hand on Horatio's forearm to let him know that he was there.

"Hi, H." Eric said softly and Horatio lowered his eyebrows as he looked up at Eric.

"Eric?" Horatio questioned dryly and Eric nodded as he removed his hand from Horatio's forearm.

"Yes, it's me H. Try not to worry." Eric said softly as he placed his hand back on Horatio's arm when he saw the slight panic on Horatio's eyes.

"Where am I?" Horatio asked as he glanced down to Zoë who was still hugging him and then back up to Eric as he pulled Zoë in closer to him.

"You're in hospital H, you've both been involved in a serious car crash." Eric said softly as he looked into Horatio's panicked blue eyes.

"Are Emily and Olivia okay? They weren't hurt, were they?" Horatio questioned as he tensed and Eric swallowed. He saw the frustration cross Horatio's face when he didn't give him an immediate answer.

"Eric, where are they? Are they okay?" Horatio questioned firmly as he sat up slightly.

"Do you remember waking up yesterday?" Eric asked softly as he applied a little pressure to Horatio's arm to lay him back.

"Where are they? I need to see them. Are they at Joe's?" Horatio questioned as he frowned at Eric, genuinely worried.

Eric took a deep breath and glanced over to Zoë sleeping while Horatio's heart rate picked up dramatically as he studied Eric's facial expression. Eric looked back to Horatio. "You can't H, I'm sorry but they're not real. They were a part of a dream you had when you were knocked out." Eric said softly and Horatio lowered his eyebrows further. Eric saw the dangerous look in Horatio's eyes, he could see that Horatio was not at all happy.

"Very funny, I'd like to see my girls, please." Horatio said firmly as his grip on Zoë tightened as he shot Eric a furious look.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"H, I'm not joking. I'm really very sorry, I am. But you've got to believe me, they weren't real. You had a dream. You missed your wedding yesterday because of the car crash." Eric said softly and Horatio looked up at him and shook his head.

"No, we got married, we have two daughters, where are they? They weren't hurt, were they?" Horatio said smoothly, trying to keep himself calm but Eric and Joe could hear and see his heart rate elevating more. Eric could see the look in Horatio's eyes, he knew Horatio was trying his very best not to explode at him. He could see the violent fire in his eyes and began to feel a little uneasy as Horatio had never looked at him with such anger before.

Eric's mouth went dry just as he tried to swallow, he then took a deep breath to try and calm himself down. "I know this is incredibly hard to understand H, but you've had a serious head injury, so has Zoë. But you're both okay. You were pushed into the sea last week in your hummer, you were both trapped and had to be resuscitated at the scene." Eric said softly as he felt himself relax a little more when he saw more confusion in Horatio's eyes rather than anger. He glanced up to Joe who wisely stayed back and out of it, Horatio hadn't even realised that he was there.

"No, Eric you know we have two girls. You were even there when Zoë went into labour with Olive, you drove us to the hospital as she needed me in the back with her." Horatio said firmly as he frowned deeply, highly confused and also very annoyed. Joe glanced back up to his heart rate and saw that it was levelling out at a fast rate of 110bpm.

"H, that was a dream, I need you to believe me. Look at the date, look at your hand, you don't have the ring on, Zoë hasn't been pregnant since Maya. You were both due to marry yesterday but we had to call it off as you were both here, in hospital. I know what I'm saying to you won't make sense, but it's the truth." Eric said softly as he tried to rub Horatio's forearm but Horatio moved his arm forcefully as he glared up at Eric, dangerously again. Nathan walked in, looking somewhat relaxed but tired. A smile appeared across his face when he saw Horatio awake, but his smile soon disappeared when he noticed Horatio's brutal glare and ferocious expression. He glanced to the monitor and saw Horatio's heart rate elevated and Nathan immediately knew what had happened.

"Nathan, where are my girls?" Horatio asked firmly as Nathan walked over to them with a confident facial expression.

"Horatio, you don't have any daughters, you don't have children." Nathan said softly as he placed his hands on the end of Horatio's bed. He pressed his lips together and gave Horatio a firm expression back. He knew that he wouldn't get anywhere with Horatio if he was soft. If Horatio were to believe him, he needed to use an element of firmness himself.

"No, Eric has just told me that, but we have two beautiful daughters. You helped deliver them. Are they okay? Where they hurt in the crash?" Horatio replied as Zoë shifted against him, causing him to pull her closer to himself, protectively.

"Horatio, you've received a serious head injury, what you think happened, never did. It was a dream, a hallucination, it wasn't real. You never got married, you never had children. I understand that this is a lot to take in, but I need you to remain calm otherwise you'll hurt yourself and Zoë." Nathan said softly, softening his expression as he tilted his head and made gentle eye-contact with him. Horatio's eyes darted over to the clock, then to his watch with a frown. He then felt for the ring on his finger but couldn't feel it. He then moved to pick up Zoë's left hand, but he didn't see the wedding band.

His frown deepened as extreme confusion replaced his annoyance, he was starting to believe Nathan, but didn't want to. "No, we got married, someone has taken our rings." Horatio said as he looked at Nathan, desperate for him to tell him that their girls were fine. '_Please let this be payback for something, please be telling me a lie. I need my girls, are they okay? Eric wouldn't lie about something like that.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he continued to frown at Nathan, Nathan sighed softly as he glanced down to the blanket covering them.

"If you had got married and had your wedding rings on, there would be a tan line on Zoë's finger, wouldn't there? Look at her hand, H." Eric said softly as Horatio looked round to him. Horatio swallowed, he didn't want to check in case what they were saying was real. He reluctantly picked her hand up again and studied her ring finger. He moved the engagement ring and gently pulled it off when he couldn't see anything.

Horatio's eyes softened and saddened as he stared at her finger. "There's only one tan line." Horatio said quietly as he looked up at Eric. Eric nodded at him as Horatio's jaw slacked slightly from shock and upset. He delicately put the engagement ring back on her finger and then stared at it a little more. '_No wedding ring? No wedding? Was it all really a dream? Was it all really my imagination? It was so perfect.'_ He thought to himself as he closed his eyes for a few moments and placed Zoë's hand back down on his side under the blanket. '_None of that happened?'_ Horatio asked himself as he looked back up to Eric.

"I'm so sorry H." Eric said softly as he placed his hand on Horatio's forearm again.

Horatio swallowed dryly as he looked down to the end of the bed, heartbroken and confused. '_I feel like I've actually lost my daughters, they were so real.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he took a deep breath. He then looked up and glanced around the room and saw Joe leaning against the other bed silently, letting Nathan and Eric deal with Horatio as he didn't know him very well. Joe saw a glimmer of hope in Horatio's eyes ignite before he looked back to Nathan and Eric. "No, Joe is here. He moved down from New York, he lives on our road. He wouldn't be here otherwise, now where's my girls?" Horatio said desperately, trying to find any evidence to back up his claims.

Joe cleared his throat, causing Horatio to look back over to him. "I still live in New York Horatio, I came down for your wedding and then rushed here when I heard that you were both in hospital after a serious car crash, I don't move down here for another 2 months yet, and I don't have a house on your road. I have a house about a 5 minute walk from yours." Joe said softly as he moved from the bed and stood up straight with his hands in his pockets. Even he could feel just how much Horatio was hurting, the hurt seemed to seep into every atom in the room. He watched the hope in Horatio's eyes die again and it felt like he'd been stabbed in the stomach, to watch someone's hope die is an awful thing, Joe felt responsible for causing it to die. He moved closer slightly and glanced to Zoë before searching Horatio's fatigued eyes for some element of happiness to make himself feel better.

Horatio swallowed again and shook his head. "But, this doesn't make sense. We had children, we were married, everything was perfect." Horatio said as he looked at all 3 of them with a tone of certainty in his voice. Horatio's heart rate had dropped slightly, but it was still faster than it should be. He was scared more than anything else, scared and upset. Eric saw his bosses' vulnerability and he felt the same stab in the stomach, he'd never seen Horatio so vulnerable before. They could still see the small speck of hope in Horatio's eyes, he was still trying to argue with them.

Eric swallowed softly as he held Horatio's eyes. "Exactly, it was perfect. Horatio, you and Zoë are two of the most hated police officers in Miami by the criminals. Nothing will ever be perfect, there's always going to be threats, you know that." Eric said softly and Horatio looked up at him and then put his head back. Horatio exhaled violently, and then rubbed his weary brow with his right hand as he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. '_Eric's right, life will never ever be that perfect, there will always be threats.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he swallowed once more to try and rid the lump from his throat.

"I know this is hard to accept Horatio–" Nathan said tenderly.

Horatio lifted his head with a deep frown as he removed his hand from his forehead. "You don't know anything, you try accepting people telling you that your daughters don't exist, that your wife isn't actually your wife yet. Emily is 2 and a half, Olivia is a year old." Horatio said firmly with a hard expression. Nathan closed his mouth and nodded silently. Horatio put his head back and closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts as he rubbed his brow again. His jaw tightened, trying his very best to understand what they were telling him, but the more he thought about it, the more his heart broke.

He lifted his head again and moved Zoë, he then picked up her left arm and looked at her elbow. He exhaled and then frowned as he studied her skin. "There's no scar?" Horatio questioned and Nathan tilted his head as he glanced from Zoë to Horatio. Horatio saw that Nathan wasn't following. "She tripped on one of Emily's toys in the kitchen and sliced most of the skin on her elbow off. You stitched it up." Horatio shook his head as he lowered his eyebrows and studied her elbow intensely.

"That never happened. Surely the lack of scar is enough?" Nathan asked warmly and Horatio moved and sat up to check her other elbow. All three of their hearts broke to see a once confident, strong man belittled to a desperate man looking for any evidence to back-up his ideal world. Horatio exhaled violently as he put Zoë back into the position she was in, she didn't even stir. He then rubbed his face when he felt himself flush red with upset and anger.

He put his hands back down as he took another deep breath and looked to Nathan with a serious expression. "I don't have two daughters?" Horatio asked and Nathan shook his head.

"You don't." He confirmed tenderly as he felt slight relief in that Horatio was beginning to accept reality. Horatio's jaw tightened as he imagined the faces of his imaginary children. He blinked a few times to try and rid the vision as it only upset him more. He then felt Zoë stir and glanced down to her as she slowly lifted her head with her eyes half-open. She slowly sat up as she placed a gentle hand on his stomach after glancing up at him. He could see that she was half-asleep, probably more asleep than awake.

"I'll go and feed her, you get back t-to sleep handsome." Zoë mumbled heavily as she tried to get out of bed.

"Zoë, lie down for me sweetheart." Horatio said as he pulled her back gently.

"Hmm" she moaned quietly as she dropped her heavy head back to the pillow. Nathan grimaced as he gritted his teeth, seeing her forehead connect with the pillow after it clipped Horatio's shoulder. She fell asleep again within seconds as Nathan glanced up to the monitor with her intracranial pressure just hoping that it wouldn't rise, he relaxed slightly after the number didn't change.

Horatio looked back to Nathan and they saw the fight in his eyes. "It can't have been a dream, it felt real, it can't have been my imagination." Horatio shook his head still trying his best to disprove them. Nathan sighed softly, but he could completely understand why Horatio would put up a good fight to try and prove that his daughters were real.

"It was, Horatio. It wasn't real." Nathan said softly as he tilted his head more at Horatio.

"How am I to know that this isn't a dream and the world where my daughters are is a reality?" Horatio questioned, uncertain of the reality of the situation.

"I can't give you an answer to that Horatio, but I can assure you that this is reality, this is the real world and the world where your daughters are is in your head, that was the dream world. If you continue to have trouble telling fantasy from reality, I will have to have psych come down and take a look at you. I'm not using that as a threat at all. But it's very common for patients to have this problem after coming round from a coma and it's nothing to be ashamed of, okay?" Nathan said very softly as he looked into Horatio's blue eyes, he took a deep breath and nodded. Horatio knew that it was the real world, he just didn't want it to be.

"Where's my phone?" Horatio asked.

"It was broken and water damaged during the crash." Eric said softly.

"Zoë's phone?" Horatio questioned and Eric handed it to him from the side. Horatio quickly unlocked it and then looked through her pictures immediately.

"There's nothing… there's no wedding pictures, no children. She took a photo of us when she was pregnant with both Emily and Olivia." Horatio looked up at Eric and Nathan in disbelief.

"None of us have touched the phone, Horatio. We couldn't get into it, her phone was exactly how she left it." Eric said softly as he looked at Horatio.

"Why wasn't it damaged too?" Horatio questioned, confused.

"She accidently left her phone at the scene, next to my kit. I picked it up when we got your distress call." Eric said softly and Horatio exhaled and then rubbed his face more as he put his head back and held onto the phone tightly.

He lifted his head again and looked intensely at Nathan. "You're really telling me that the past 3 years of what I experienced wasn't real?" Horatio questioned and they all nodded at him.

"Your wedding day was yesterday, the 11th of August, today is the 12th, your flight for the Seychelles is leaving in 2 hours." Eric said warmly as he exhaled. Horatio looked down with a slow nod and then looked over to Zoë. He studied her sleeping and noticed that the right side of her face was swollen and bruised, as well as bruising on her arms.

"How is Zoë?" Horatio questioned Nathan as he looked back to Nathan as he ran a hand through her hair gently.

"She's okay, she's confused, much like you. But you're both stable and escaped without life threatening injuries. It was Eric's quick thinking that saved you both. He dove in and dragged you both out of the sinking hummer, he then started CPR on the both of you until the ambulance arrived. You both inhaled a lot of water, but he saved you both and resuscitated the both of you. I believe that Walter also aided getting you out of the water, despite not being able to swim." Nathan said softly and Horatio looked up at Eric a little shocked. Eric gave him a nod to confirm what Nathan said was true as Horatio blinked a few times, he felt a sense of pride in his team for saving the both of them, especially as Walter can't swim.

"Thank you." Horatio said warmly before looking back down to Zoë with tender love in his eyes.

"Your chest took most of the hit as you tried to protect Zoë with your arm, so you're going to find that your chest hurts a lot whereas Zoë sustained general injuries to most of her body. You saved her though. If you hadn't have put your arm across her chest and held her in her seat, she wouldn't be here today, I'm sure of that." Nathan said softly and Horatio swallowed and he closed his eyes as he felt a wave of fear flush through his entire body.

_"Brace yourself, I love you." Horatio said as he reached over and put his arm across her chest in hope that it would keep her safer when they hit the water._

_"I love you" Zoë said as she looked into his terrified blue eyes. He pushed back on her chest to keep her firmly in the seat as they fell through the air, awaiting impact. They looked out of the front windscreen and saw the blue sea coming closer and closer. _

He opened his eyes again and looked at the 3 of them. "I saw the fear in her eyes as she looked over to me while we fell through the air, there was nothing I could do." Horatio exhaled as he shook his head, remembering the incident clearly. The 3 others remained silent for a moment while they allowed Horatio to regain his thoughts and calm himself down. "There were 3 black SUV's, did you catch them?" Horatio questioned as he looked up at Eric with a very serious expression.

"No, but we think that Joe LeBrock has something to do with it as he's used the same model and make of car before, the tyre treads are a match to the car he used to get away years ago. The plates must've been changed. But he's still in prison so he couldn't have personally done it. We're working on it H, you both just need to concentrate on getting better." Eric said softly and Horatio nodded before he glanced back down to Zoë.

"Has Zoë woken up?" Horatio questioned Nathan and he nodded once Horatio glanced to Nathan.

"She's very confused. She seems to have lost her sight so I'm going to do some more investigations into that if it hasn't returned to what it was before this evening. It is likely to return though. She's also had a very similar dream to you, she thinks that you both have two daughters too." Nathan said softly as he crossed his arms and looked from Horatio to Zoë and back to Horatio.

"But, how can she think we have two daughters if it was my dream?" Horatio asked as he frowned and watched Zoë breathe steadily as he felt himself immediately calm down. He could feel her arm over his stomach and felt at ease in her grip.

"I think it's because you both desire the same thing, you know so much about each other and share so many of the same wants and needs that I think both of you have created this dream world. She also thinks that they're called Emily and Olivia." Nathan said softly as he leant back on the bed and tilted his head.

"That wasn't just sleep-talk, was it?" Horatio asked as he closed his eyes for a moment. They shook their heads as he re-opened them. Horatio rubbed his tired face and then gave her forehead a kiss and she hugged him tighter. She moved her leg to place it between his as she nuzzled at his shoulder. Nathan smiled softly as he watched Horatio physically relax as his heart rate decreased to a normal rate. Horatio continued to watch Zoë softly as he concentrated on her and her alone.

"Get some rest Horatio. Would you also like any more painkillers?" Nathan asked and he shook his head and then kissed her forehead again and held her tighter as Eric walked away and gave them space, Joe did the same. They could all see that Horatio was distraught and that he was trying his hardest to keep calm. Nathan sat back down and gave his paper work his attention while Eric and Joe kept themselves occupied with other things. Horatio slowly fell asleep after lightly rubbing Zoë's arm.

A few hours later, Zoë woke and watched Horatio sleep for a little while. Joe and Eric hadn't noticed that she had woken. She then sat up when Joe chuckled a little and she looked over to him, realising that they weren't at home and weren't alone. She looked over to Joe with a fearful frown, looking completely startled.

"I'm sorry for waking you darling." Joe said softly as he placed his hand over hers as she placed her hands either side of her hips on the bed as she dangled her legs off and sat on the edge of the bed. She quickly pulled her hand from his and then looked over towards the door when she heard something fall on the floor outside. She raised her right hand to her forehead and lightly rubbed.

"Zoë, it's Joe." Joe said softly as he stood up and reached out for her but she pushed his hand away immediately. Eric watched her push his hand away before he'd even made contact with her and saw her eyes had trained narrowly on his hand.

"Zoë can you see?" Eric asked warmly as he stood up and studied her as her breathing picked up slightly. She nodded silently as she looked back over to the door when there were a few people talking loudly. She rubbed her forehead a little more forcefully before Joe gently took hold of her wrist and pulled her hand from her forehead.

"Zoë, you're okay Bunny. You're safe." Joe said softly as he moved to stand in front of her as he placed her hand down on her thigh. She looked down at the gown she was wearing and pulled at it but it was tied at her neck. She let out a distressed moan as she tried pulling at the gown a little more just as Nathan walked back in with a pile of paper. She accidentally kicked Joe in the knee as she swung her leg out from frustration with the gown.

"Sweet, what's wrong?" Nathan asked as he put the paper on her bed and walked over to her after Joe backed off and rubbed his knee. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she looked up to him. He saw the frustration in her eyes when her eyes connected with his.

"Mmm" she moaned as she pulled at the gown more forcefully as she looked back down.

"Can you see, Zoë?" Nathan questioned, but he didn't get a response from her when she concentrated on pulling at the gown.

"Yes, she said she could." Eric said softly and Nathan nodded appreciatively as he glanced up to Eric.

"Zoë, look at me for a moment please." Nathan said clearly and she looked back up to him. Her eyes focused on his eyes as he quickly pulled his torch out and shone it in her eyes. She squinted as she stopped pulling at the gown and then reached up for the torch. He handed it to her and placed his hand on her shoulder as he stood back up and watched her focus on it. He glanced to Joe and then to Eric and then sighed as he looked back down to her as he ran his thumb over her collarbone lightly. They both also watched her study the pen torch.

"Zoë what day is it?" Nathan asked Zoë clearly.

"Tu-Tuesday" She said as she turned the torch on and off, shining it in her eyes repeatedly. She closed her eyes each time she did it and then turned the torch away, only to do the same action again. It was clear that the connections weren't firing in her brain to stop it.

"What's your name?" Nathan asked.

"Z-Zoë Caine." She replied as her jaw slacked as she looked up at him and shone the torch in his eyes. He squinted and moved out of the path of light.

"How old are you?" Nathan tilted his head as she turned the torch back to herself.

"31" She replied quietly.

"What's the date?" Nathan asked and she looked down at her watch.

"12th August" she replied as she looked down at her hands fiddling with the torch.

"What's 2 + 6?" Nathan asked.

"8" she replied quickly and Nathan lowered his eyebrows.

"4 x 3?"

"12" she replied as she glanced up at him.

"12 x 5"

"60" She replied immediately and confidently.

"17 x 19" Nathan questioned with a smile, hoping to catch her out.

"323" Zoë replied 10 seconds later, Nathan looked shocked and then tried to do the sum in his head with a concentrated frown.

"She's right." Joe replied as he crossed his arms with a smile.

"She's good with numbers, as am I." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded with raised eyebrows, very impressed.

"Look at me, Zoë" Nathan asked softly and she dropped the pen torch and looked around to Horatio. Nathan quickly picked up the torch as she climbed up onto her knees and quickly sat on his hips as she looked down at him, straddling him. He quickly woke and then looked up at her, dazed and half-asleep.

"Zoë sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly and she gave him a sweet smile and then tilted her head. She placed one of her hands flat on his chest as she took a deep breath. "What's up sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly as Horatio sat up and woke up fully.

"Jet skiing?" She asked happily and Horatio sighed softly and then glanced around to Nathan, Joe and Eric who were all standing at the side of the bed.

"We need rest sweetheart, we'll go jet skiing when we're better." Horatio said softly as he placed his hands on her thighs with a gentle smile. '_She's not all there, is she?_' Horatio thought to himself as he studied her behaviour. She took a deep breath and tilted her head to the other side as she looked down to her hand on his chest.

"Zoë, can you get off Horatio please? You're pulling at the wires." Nathan said softly and she looked around to him as he reached out for her.

"Mmm" she moaned as she took two fistfuls of Horatio's gown and leant closer to Horatio, placing her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry sweet." Nathan said softly as he stepped back as Horatio moved his hands on her hips as she lifted her head again. She bit her lip as she looked at Horatio, looking into his eyes.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Horatio asked softly as he began to gently rub her sides.

"F-feed Olivia. Emily." she said softly, she then exhaled and tried pulling at her gown again when she removed her hands from Horatio's gown. He gritted his teeth as she pushed off his chest and then took a deep breath but quickly stopped when he felt pain surge through his rib-cage.

"Don't pull the gown sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he took her small hands in his and began to run his thumbs over her knuckles. She looked down at her hands as a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She calmed when she felt the pad of Horatio's thumbs move over each knuckle.

"Can we have a moment, please?" Horatio asked the three others and they all nodded at him and then swiftly left. She glanced around to the door when she heard it close and then looked back to Horatio as he brought both of her hands up to his mouth and lightly kissed each hand.

"Sweetheart, Emily isn't real, nor is Olivia." Horatio said softly as he placed both of their hands back down to their laps, she pulled her hands out from his hands with a frown. She then placed her hands flat against his chest and then looked down at them as he grimaced lightly but pushed the pain away.

He watched her eyes train in on her left ring finger as she tilted her head. "Ring?" Zoë questioned as she lifted her left hand and then picked his up. "Where's rings?" She questioned as she removed her right hand from his chest and began to play with his fingers using both hands. She ran her right hand up his forearm and physically relaxed again when she felt his skin beneath her hands.

"We aren't married, Zoe. You had a dream that we were married and that we had children. It wasn't real sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he took a light hold of both of her hands again with a gentle expression.

"Emm and Olive aren't real?" Zoë asked softly as she looked into his eyes.

"No sweetheart, they were in a dream." Horatio said softly as he placed their hands in their laps again and tilted his head to maintain eye-contact with her as she looked down slightly.

"What?" She asked softly.

"It was a dream sweetheart. We were involved in a car crash and we've both had head injuries. Emily and Olivia aren't real." Horatio said softly as he gave her hands a quick squeeze. '_It's going to tear her up.'_ He thought to himself as his heartbeat increased slightly. He studied her eyes and saw that she was trying to process the information, he could see her really thinking. But what she was thinking about remained a mystery. "Zoë, they're not real." Horatio reiterated to make sure she was fully understanding him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"They we-were a dream?" Zoë slurred softly and Horatio nodded as he lightly rubbed her sides, just hoping that she wouldn't flip or be too upset by it.

"It-it was a really nice dre-dream then. Ma-mak-make it a reality?" Zoë asked and Horatio nodded with a smile easing its way across his face. She reached up and began to play with a strand of his fringe as it hung over his forehead. He watched a gentle smile cross her face as she focused on his radiant red-hair.

"Yes sweetheart, there's nothing I would want more than to make the dream come true." Horatio said softly, a little surprised by her very relaxed reaction.

Her eyes met with his once more as she tilted her head. "But it fel-felt real though." Zoë mumbled softly, Horatio had to listen really carefully to what she was saying as her speech wasn't great, it was very slurred and she was mumbling a lot of the time.

"I know it felt real sweetheart, but it wasn't real." Horatio exhaled softly, just hoping that she wouldn't argue with him.

"W-Why aren't we wea-wearing our wed-wedding rings?" Zoë asked as she ran her hands up and down his chest after finishing with his hair.

"We aren't married yet, beautiful. We were due to get married yesterday, but we were too ill to make it." Horatio said softly as he took hold of her hands and stopped her from rubbing his chest as it hurt him. He watched her frown a little more and could see that she was thinking. She began to bite her lip as she looked to his mouth and focused on his lips. He briefly let go of one of her hands to free her lip from her teeth.

"But-but I don't understand. The dre-dream, I dreamt that 3 years had-h passed after our wed-wedding day." Zoë said confused as he took hold of her hand again just as she was about to place it back on his chest as she moved on his thighs a little. He quickly let go of her hands and physically moved her himself as she'd moved into an uncomfortable position for him, he could feel the bones in her bum digging into his thighs, so moved her so he was more comfortable.

"I know sweetheart, we were involved in the car crash last week, we've been in a coma since." Horatio said as he rubbed her thighs gently while she left her hands in their laps as she looked down at them and slowly took in the information. She pressed her lips together as she looked back up into his eyes before her eyes wandered his face. They rested on the gash at the side of his head as her eyebrows lowered. It had almost healed, but he still had his stitches in.

Her eyes connected back with his. "Are you okay?" Zoë mumbled softly and Horatio nodded with a gentle smile as he gazed back into her eyes as they began to skip around his face again, mainly studying his smile.

"I'm good sweetheart, are you okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then took a deep breath. She raised her hand to her forehead and rubbed roughly again as she continued to study Horatio's facial expression. She then stood up on the bed and jumped off, pulling the machines to the floor as some of the wires came off. Horatio sat up and reached out for her. "Zoë!" Horatio raised his voice just as she started to run towards the window. "Nathan!" Horatio shouted loudly as Zoë dragged the monitors with her along the floor. Horatio tried to get up as Nathan rushed in. Nathan looked to Horatio then saw Zoë making her way toward the window.

"Stay in bed Horatio." Nathan said as he quickly rushed over to Zoë and wrapped his arms around her as she punched the double-glazed window. He pulled her back when she tried punching it again. Eric and Joe stood there in shock as they watched Nathan take hold of her right wrist and pulled it in towards her stomach as he gently restrained her.

"You're okay, you're okay Zoë. It's Nathan. You're fine. Just take a deep breath for me." Nathan whispered gently against her ear.

"Are you okay, H?" Eric asked as he walked over to Horatio and Horatio nodded as he sat up straight, looking shocked. He glanced to Joe who looked shocked himself.

"She was fine, absolutely fine." Horatio said completely mystified as he frowned over at Zoë and Nathan as he continued to whisper to her as he held her still. He watched her fast and heavy breathing steady out as she relaxed her head back onto his shoulder. Horatio relaxed himself until Zoë lifted her head again and raised her leg to kick the window.

"You're okay sweet." Nathan said softly with his chin making contact with the side of her head. He pulled her back more and began to whisper to her again. Horatio, Joe and Eric all watched him calm her completely as she put her head back against his shoulder. Nathan looked over to the monitors on the floor and sighed softly. "She's okay." Nathan said tenderly as he looked to the 3 others. He began to pull the leads off her with his right hand as his left arm held her tightly against him when he deemed it safe enough to.

"Joe, can you pass me those wipes and plasters please?" Nathan asked as he pointed to some draws. Joe quickly handed him the items and Nathan wiped the blood from her arms and then put plasters over the small bleeding wounds where the IV's had been pulled out. He continued to hold her up with his left arm around her chest and under her arms, feeling her steady breathing as he threw the wipes away.

"You're okay sweet, keep taking those deep breaths for me." Nathan said softly as he unattached the rest of the leads that hadn't been pulled off. He dropped them to the floor and then loosened his grip on her.

"Can we get you back into bed with Horatio?" Nathan asked and she nodded, silently. He let go of her completely and then placed his arm around her shoulders as he walked her round to Horatio's bed, making sure to steer her clear of the fallen equipment and wires. He sat her on the bed and then pulled her hair out from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He gave her and Horatio a gentle expression as Horatio placed his hand lightly on her back.

"Don't worry sweet, you've done nothing wrong. You probably just experienced an outburst of some sort, it's linked with the head injury, okay? I'm not blaming you for anything." Nathan said warmly. She looked round to Horatio with furrowed eyebrows as her bottom lip trembled slightly.

"It's okay sweetheart." Horatio said as he placed his palm against her cheek. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder as she completely turned around and rose to her knees. Nathan turned around and quickly picked the equipment up, he then sorted it out and made sure that it still worked. She bit her lip as she blinked a few times before looking down. "It's okay sweetheart." Horatio repeated warmly as he lifted her head and held her gaze with his eyes. He gave her a small reassuring smile as he rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand. He watched a small uncertain smile develop on her face as she moved to sit beside him and sat back against the bed once Horatio had put the head of the bed up so they were able to sit. She continuously looked up at him as Joe walked around to her side as Horatio took her hands in his. Joe placed his hand on her knee as he wanted to know that she was okay. She looked around to him and then moaned loudly as he studied the haunted expression fleet across her face. He quickly removed his hand and stepped back as he raised his hands in submission.

"It's just me Zoë, it's Joe." Joe said softly as she relaxed slightly and then looked back to Horatio.

"It's just Joe sweetheart, he's not going to hurt you." Horatio said softly as she pulled her knee's up and then placed her head on his shoulder as she looked round to Nathan, completely looking past Joe. Nathan turned back to her with a sweet facial expression and then gave her a gentle smile when he saw her studying him. He moved closer to the bed as Joe moved away to stand by Eric, hurting inside because he couldn't even touch her and couldn't get her to look at him for more than a second. Nathan crossed his arms as he stood beside the bed.

"You may experience some more of those outbursts, okay? Joe, Eric you need to listen too. This sort of thing isn't uncommon in patients with head injuries. You may say some hurtful things to people, but it isn't you talking Zoë, it's the brain injury talking. You may lash out at us, we're going to remain calm if that happens but we may have to restrain you Zoë. None of this is your fault, I want you to understand that now, Horatio, the same goes for you. You could quite possibly experience similar things. Whilst I'm confident that neither of you will hurt anyone, if I perceive a threat, I will have to sedate you. For that reason, I need to keep the cannulas in your hands, but I am happy to take off the wires and things. Zoë, I need to keep the few wires on your head though, I need to keep an eye on the pressure." Nathan said softly and clearly as he looked from Horatio to Zoë and back a few times. Horatio gave him a nod and Zoë did the same after taking a few seconds to think about what he'd said.

Nathan turned to Eric and Joe as they stood at the end of the bed. "Don't take anything personally if either say something that is hurtful or mean. It's not them talking, okay?" Nathan said to Joe and Eric and they nodded, Joe's eyes didn't move off Zoë, he could see her becoming distressed again as she pulled at the gown again after pulling her hands from Horatio's grip.

"Zoë, do you want some scrubs? Will you feel better if I get you some scrubs?" Nathan asked and she stopped pulling at the gown and looked up at him. She tilted her head and opened her mouth before closing it again and rolling her lips together as she studied his eyes. "Would you like some scrubs?" Nathan asked clearly again and she nodded a few moments later. She gave him a gentle smile as he gave her a gentle smile. She turned back to Horatio and smiled at him as Nathan quickly walked out. She turned and sat on the bed with crossed legs and faced Horatio.

"So, I'm still Zoë Chambers?" She mumbled and Horatio nodded as he felt her lift his hand as she began to play with his fingers. "I want to go back to the dream." Zoë murmured softly as she watched Horatio's fingers delicately play with hers too.

"I know sweetheart, but we'll make the dream come true." Horatio said softly as he gently pulled her down and kissed the left side of her forehead.

"Mmm" she moaned as she placed her hand against the right side of her forehead and shook her head, she took a deep breath and then placed her hands in his hair with a content smile appearing on her face.

"Are you in pain?" Horatio asked and she shook her head and then exhaled again as she stuck her tongue out at him. He chuckled slightly and then ran his fingertips down her left cheek, causing her to close her mouth after she'd pulled her tongue back in. Eric smiled softly, glad to hear a small chuckle coming from Horatio, whilst Joe remained silent. Nathan walked back in with a pair of blue scrubs. Zoë looked around to him when she heard him enter and her eyes focused on the scrubs he was holding.

"Do you want a hand getting changed?" Nathan asked softly and she looked at Horatio. "Horatio needs to stay in bed sweet, I can give you a hand if you'd like, or I can ring Alexx, if she's busy then there's a lovely female doctor that I can have come in." Nathan said clearly and she looked back at him and bit her lip as she glanced back down to the scrubs.

"It's alright sweetheart, Nathan can help, or we can another female doctor in as Alexx is working." Horatio assured her softly and she looked back to him and then placed her hand over his thigh, looking uncertain. Nathan could see her uncertainty and placed his hand on her back to get her attention again. She looked back over to him as she continued to bite her lip gently.

"I'll go and get the female, doctor, yeah?" Nathan said softly and she frantically shook her head and began to cry. '_A female doctor is better than something? There is no way I could get a female nurse in here. Perhaps she'll react better to the female doctor?'_ Nathan thought to himself.

"No!" She raised her voice as she moved closer to Horatio and looked up at Nathan as she sobbed.

"Okay, no female doctor." Nathan said before he glanced to Joe and Eric and they quickly made an exit. He looked back to Zoë with a tender expression. '_Horatio is of sound mind and is thinking clearly. But he's still a patient, what am I going to do? I can't get another female doctor or nurse in here. I could try giving Alexx a call.'_ Nathan thought to himself as Zoë stopped crying.

"I'll try and give Alexx a call, okay?" Nathan said as he pulled his phone out and dialled for Alexx.

"She'll be busy." Horatio said but Nathan thought it was worth a try, but Horatio was right, she didn't even answer the phone.

"Horatio needs to stay on the bed, Zoë but it's not exactly professional if I dress you as Horatio is still a patient, it would be okay if he wasn't. I need a female in here, can I get a nurse just to stand in?" Nathan asked the both of them but Zoë shook her head again and began to cry once again. Nathan ran his hands through his hair. "Horatio, would you mind if I helped her to dress?" Nathan asked warmly.

"No, I don't mind… I'd rather do it myself, but you're the doctor." Horatio said lightly and Nathan nodded.

"Zoë, are you sure you want me to help you with this?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she stopped crying again and looked up at him with a gentle expression. '_I don't know why I'm asking her because she's not thinking clearly, I know that.'_ Nathan thought to himself. '_I don't know what else to do, she'll only get more agitated with the gown if I leave it on her. It's a no win situation.'_ He thought to himself. He walked over to the curtain and drew it around the bed.

Nathan gently rubbed her back gently with a gentle smile and nod. "Can you stand up for me sweet?" Nathan asked softly and she stood, but she stood on the bed. Nathan chuckled lightly as he looked up at her. He held his hand out to her and she took it as she tilted her head, looking at him confused. "I mean on the floor." Nathan smiled at her, he then helped her to sit back down on the bed and then helped her off. She looked to Horatio as he sat up straight and gave her a smile as he stretched his aching back.

"Can you turn for me please?" Nathan asked Zoë clearly. He then placed his hands on her waist and turned her physically, gently. She offered no resistance and looked out of the window while Horatio watched Nathan untie the tight knot at the back of the gown. He turned her again and then pulled it off and slung it over to the bin. He picked up the top half of the blue uniform and she stepped back as she shook her head as he held it out for her to put her arms in.

"Zoë, it's just a t-shirt sweet." Nathan said softly as he stepped forwards with a calm, relaxing expression. Horatio quickly rubbed his mouth as she stood there in front of Nathan and himself in nothing more than a pair of plain hospital underwear.

"Horatio" she said quietly as Horatio's eyes wandered her body, slowly, looking at all of the bruising. He swallowed and knew his body probably looked very similar.

"Do you want Horatio to put it on you?" Nathan asked and she shook her head as she clasped her hands together in front of herself.

She tilted her head as Horatio's eyes connected with hers. "Horatio" she said again as she looked at him and exhaled violently.

"What do you want Horatio to do?" Nathan asked softly and she shrugged as she looked down at the floor. Nathan pulled at his hair a little once he'd run his hand through his hair from frustration. "Do you want to put the gown back on?" He asked and she shook her head as she began playing with her fingers as she focused on the floor and took another deep breath. "Do you want to put the scrubs on yourself?" Nathan asked, trying to guess what she wanted because she wasn't giving him anything to go on.

"Ho-Horatio" she said loudly and Nathan looked to Horatio to see if he could decipher her as Horatio frowned slightly, trying to read her body language.

"Do you want me to put it on?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked back up at him with an easy expression. Nathan handed the top to Horatio with a small smile and nod, thankful that he managed to get somewhere.

"I'll wait outside." Nathan said warmly as he turned to step outside of the curtain to allow Horatio to dress her.

"Come here then sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she shook her head as she stepped back again.

"You." She said as she began to rub her arms with the opposite hand and began to side step on the spot. '_This isn't Zoë at all.'_ Horatio thought to himself when he saw her rocking on the spot, he could see the confusion in her eyes. He took a deep breath to calm himself down as he could feel himself becoming rather frustrated. He began to move closer to her when she stepped back again as she shook her head. "You Horatio" she said as she began to rub her forehead roughly.

"You want me to put it on myself?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she stepped forwards again as she bit her lip, looking excited.

"You need to wear this, Zoë. Come here sweetheart, I'll help you." Horatio said softly as he exhaled, feeling his frustration grow a little more.

"No" she raised her voice as she pulled at her hair and glared at him as she bared her teeth at him when she screwed up her face slightly.

"Horatio, Zoë, may I step back." Nathan asked, hearing the frustration in both of their voices.

"Yes" Horatio replied quickly and he then stepped back around and looked over to Zoë, she looked like she was about to hit something again.

"Okay, okay sweet. You need to wear something though." Nathan said softly as he stepped forwards with a hand held out. She looked from Nathan to Horatio and they could see a tick forming. They could see her twitching her head to the right. She looked down to the floor as her head jerked to the right as she let out a small distressed moan. Nathan took a deep breath while Horatio just watched Zoë, very confused.

"Nathan, please explain to me what is going on." Horatio said calmly as he peeled his eyes from Zoë and looked at Nathan. Nathan looked around to Horatio and opened his mouth to talk to him.

"Dick" Zoë raised her voice as she looked at Nathan, both Nathan and Horatio looked back round to her. Horatio eyes widened as he frowned slightly. '_Did I just mis-hear her?'_ He thought to himself as he watched her fidget constantly. Nathan took a deep breath and glanced to the floor, readying himself for more insults.

"I need you to wear something, Zoë." Nathan said softly as he looked back up to her with gentle eyes. He crossed his arms and pressed his lips together as he looked at her tenderly.

"You're a-a dick" Zoë raised her voice and the door began to open. Horatio's mouth fell open, he was shocked; he'd never heard Zoë use that sort of language and direct it at anyone other than criminals.

"Out!" Nathan raised his voice as he heard the door open while Zoë's twitches got worse. The door quickly shut again and Nathan trained his gentle eyes back on Zoë.

"Dickhead!" Zoë raised her voice louder at Nathan.

"Zoë, language." Horatio said softly after releasing his pressed lips.

"Fucking dick" she said as she looked away and down at the floor before she pulled down her underwear.

"Zoë-Mae!" Horatio raised his voice, shocked as she kicked the underwear away. "Zoë!" Horatio said loudly with wide eyes as he tried to get off the bed but Nathan stopped him. Zoë looked at Horatio with a panicked expression as she took a step back.

"Horatio, calm down, let me handle this." Nathan said softly as he placed his hand on Horatio's shoulder. "Tell me what you want Zoë." Nathan said clearly and she looked back to him as she furrowed her brow and tilted her head. "You want something, can you point it out to me?" Nathan asked as her ticking decreased and Horatio glanced up at Nathan, seeing an improvement in Zoë. She took a deep breath as she looked at Nathan intensely. "She want's something, I don't think she can tell us though. Can you enlighten me?" Nathan asked Horatio and Horatio looked back to Zoë. She looked back to Horatio as she began to rub her hands.

"Do you want a shower, Zoë?" Horatio asked and she looked up at him and nodded as she stepped forwards and placed a hand on the end of the bed.

"You want a shower?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she looked over to him. A small smile developed across her face as her eyes softened and she physically relaxed. "Okay sweet. If you put these scrubs or this gown back on for me, I'll go and get you some soap and a towel." Nathan said softly and she looked away again. Nathan looked over to Horatio with a pleading expression, needing him to talk her round.

"Zoë, if you put this gown on, you can have a shower." Horatio said softly and she looked up at him and then walked over to him with an unreadable expression. Nathan handed him the gown and she stepped away again as she shook her head.

"Horatio" she said as she pointed to his gown.

"Do you want my gown?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked into his eyes and furrowed her brow with a sweet expression.

"Okay sweetheart, only if you wear it though?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she bit her lip and looked down to the gown. Horatio sat up and then pulled the gown off after Nathan quickly took out the lines then put them back in once Horatio put a new gown on. Horatio held it out of her and she put her arms through the sleeves and then turned as Nathan turned her and tied it up at the back.

"I'll be right back, okay?" Nathan said and she nodded at him, he left after quickly picking up the underwear she'd kicked across the floor and discarded of them in the bin with the gown.

"Are you okay?" Horatio asked gently and she nodded at him, he noticed that the tick she had developed had completely disappeared now. She leant against her bed with a sweet expression, seemingly to have forgotten about anything that had just gone on. He reached over and placed his palm against her cheek as he looked into her eyes tenderly. "What was that about sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly and she shrugged as she looked down. Horatio moved his hand into her hair and moved over to her to place a gentle kiss on her cheek, he thought about going for her lips, but wasn't sure how she'd react to it. She bit her lip repeatedly as she looked into his eyes with a small smile after he'd kissed her cheek. "You like that?" He asked softly and she nodded with a sweet expression as she leant over towards him and then lightly kissed his cheek with a small natural smile forming. She stood back and then watched his smile grow. She bit her lip again as she looked down and pulled his hand from her hair.

"I'm sorry." She murmured quietly as she began to play with her fingers again. He frowned slightly, confused as to what she was apologising for as he watched her eyes studying her fingers.

He placed his hand over hers and looked up at her tenderly. "Are you sure you're not in pain?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded. "Yeah" she said quietly as she looked down at the blanket on the bed. Nathan quickly entered with a towel over his arm with soap, shampoo and conditioner also with Alexx on his tail.

"Joe and Eric are in the waiting room, and Alexx has perfect timing." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as Zoë turned to face him as he gave her a sweet smile.

"Come on baby, let's go and shower." Alexx said softly and Zoe followed her into the en-suite, happily. Alexx left the door open and then turned the shower on as Nathan put a sign on the room door. Alexx turned to her and then pulled her gown off gently but Zoë stepped back from Alexx and shook her head at her. "Zoë, you just said you wanted a shower." Alexx said lightly and Zoë nodded as she stepped to the side.

"Horatio" she said as she looked at Alexx with her eyes hardening.

"Horatio can't do that baby, he needs to rest. It's me, Alexx." She said warmly.

"Nathan" she said as she began to glare at Alexx.

"Nathan can't do this either baby. It's Alexx, Zoë. You know me baby." Alexx said warmly and Zoë shook her head. "You work with me honey, if you don't want me to do this then we'll have to get some nurses in or something." Alexx said warmly.

"No!" Zoë said as she frantically shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself as she looked down.

"How about I get Nathan to stand in? He can do that as long as I'm here." Alexx said warmly and Zoë looked up at her as she stopped crying in an instant and she nodded. "Okay baby." Alexx said softly.

"Nathan, can you join us please?" Alexx called and Nathan looked to Horatio.

"Is that okay?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded. Nathan then walked into the en-suite and looked at Alexx curiously.

"Zoë, want's you here too." Alexx said warmly and Nathan nodded as he leant against the wall as Zoë looked up at him as she began to relax. Alexx stepped closer to Zoë to put her hand under the water to check the temperature but Zoë lightly pushed her away and walked over to Nathan.

"Zoë, Alexx needs to do this for you sweet." Nathan said warmly Zoë scowled up at him. '_It's not her fault she's being difficult, perhaps she isn't fully aware of who Alexx is? Maybe she's a little more comfortable with me.'_ Nathan thought to himself.

"You can trust Alexx, Alexx is lovely." Nathan said softly as he gave Zoë a sweet expression as she placed her hand on his chest and looked back to Alexx. Zoë bit her lip and studied Alexx a little before walking back over to her. Alexx checked the water was a comfortable temperature before getting her to step under the water with a little encouragement. Alexx lifted one of Zoë's hands and turned her palm up and squirted shower gel into her palm.

"Pink!" She smiled as she looked at the pink shower gel.

"Wait a moment." Alexx said softly before she quickly stepped back and pulled her jacket off and placed it on the basin with her back to Zoë for a second. "Zoë!" Nathan said quietly but sharply when he saw her about to taste the shower gel. Alexx quickly turned back and pulled Zoë's hand away from her mouth. '_I must admit, it does smell like it would taste lovely. Then again, I love strawberries and cream.'_ He thought to himself with a small smile. "Can you rub it in to your skin, Zoë?" Alexx asked softly and she nodded and began to rub the soap into her skin. A few minutes passed and Horatio got up when he heard Zoë moaning. He pulled the lines out and quickly and headed over to the en-suite.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"It's okay baby, you've just got soap in your eye." Alexx said softly as she tilted Zoë's head back. "Blink for me." Alexx said softly as Horatio appeared at the door and Zoë let out another whine as she took hold of Alexx's wrist. "I know it stings baby." Alexx said softly as she tried washing her eye out, she managed to get most of the soap out, but Zoe began to squirm too much and eventually pushed Alexx away gently. She looked back down at Horatio and then began to rub her eye with her forearm as she gave him a sweet smile. Nathan looked over to Horatio with a gentle smile also from minding his own business.

He gave her a tender smile as he tilted his head at her. "Okay?" He asked as he stepped in further and she nodded before Alexx turned her and rinsed the shampoo from the ends of her hair where she had missed. "Thank you Alexx, I'll take it from here." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded as she withdrew her hands from Zoë's hair and looked round to Horatio with a gentle expression.

"Are you sure you're up to it? I don't mind doing this as you really should be in bed." Alexx said softly as she picked up a hand towel.

"It's okay, thank you though." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded as she began to dry her hands. Horatio stood where Alexx was stood Alexx stepped away from the shower as Zoë minded her own business and kept herself entertained with her hands. Alexx's phone began to ring.

"I'm sorry, I really should get that, I should be at work at the moment, I only came by because I saw the missed call from you, Nathan and couldn't get through to you when I rang back." Alexx explained softly.

"That's fine, Horatio's here now." Nathan said warmly and Alexx nodded before making her way out of the bathroom to pick her phone up and walk out of the room altogether.

"Be careful of the right side of her forehead." Nathan warned and Horatio looked at him confused as Nathan put the hand towel down. "She's got a skull fracture." Nathan said softly and Horatio looked at him shocked.

"A skull fracture?" Horatio questioned, hoping he'd miss heard Nathan but Nathan nodded.

"It's okay, it's stable, just be careful if you have to go near her head, especially of her forehead." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he glanced over to Zoë as she picked up the wash cloth.

"She kept rubbing her forehead on the right side." Horatio said softly as he turned to Zoë and very gently pulled her a little closer and rinsed the ends of her hair as Nathan moved closer to continue talking to Horatio, but he kept his eyes firmly on Horatio as he knew Horatio was protective over Zoë.

"She might be experiencing some pain, I'll give her some painkillers when she gets out." Nathan said softly as he glanced over to Zoë as she threw the wet cloth at the tiled wall and began to giggle as it stuck to the wall. Nathan began to laugh as he looked down and covered his mouth to stop himself. Horatio tilted his head at Nathan.

"She said she wasn't in pain." Horatio said softly as he began to frown, uncertain why he was laughing.

"I'm sorry Horatio, her laugh is infectious." Nathan apologised quickly as he stood up straight and took a deep breath as Zoë glanced around to him with a wide happy smile before looking back to the cloth and watching it slide down the wall. "She's not communicating very well as you've witnessed, I'd like to give her some just in case." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he began to massage the conditioner into her hair. "Give me a shout if you need anything, okay?" Nathan asked as she placed her hands on the tiled wall and looked up at the shower head with her back to Horatio. Nathan stopped walking out when he saw the look of panic fleet across Horatio's face as he looked around frantically and withdrew his hands from Zoë's hair.

"Where's Emily?" Horatio questioned frantically. '_I could have sworn I heard her scream._' Horatio thought to himself as he stepped away from the shower and began to make his way out of the en-suite.

"Horatio, Emily isn't around. She's not real. You had a dream, remember?" Nathan said tenderly as he stopped Horatio from walking out. Horatio looked over to him with a mild frown as he studied Nathan's gentle expression. "Emily and Olivia aren't real, remember?" Nathan asked and Horatio sighed as he looked down. He slowly nodded before he looked back to Zoë and pressed his lips together. She was still in the position that he'd left her and slowly walked back over to her and then continued to wash her hair. "Give me a shout if you need me, okay?" Nathan asked warmly as he placed his hand on Horatio's upper arm. Horatio gave him a nod and then smiled mildly as she began to sing a nursery rhyme quietly and Horatio listened to her sing. Nathan had walked out. He felt a lump in his throat develop when she included the names 'Emily' and 'Olivia' in the nursery rhyme but kept himself composed. '_They're not real, they were in the dream.'_ He told himself to try and stop himself from getting confused again. She stopped when Horatio finished washing the conditioner out of her hair and then turned to him. She smiled at him and then pulled him closer as she stepped closer to him and kissed him. Horatio quickly pulled away when she was too rough with him. He took her hands gently and removed them from his gown as she'd hurt his chest again.

"Zoë sweetheart, are you okay?" Horatio asked startled by her sudden lustfulness and she nodded looking confused with a deep frown.

"I just wanted to kiss you." She tilted her head as she shrugged and began to play with her fingers as Horatio let go of her hands.

"A little more gently sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked away and down at the floor as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm sorry beautiful." Horatio said softly as he reached in and turned the shower off. He picked her towel up and then wrapped it around her and gently pulled her out of the shower while she continued to look down. He felt bad that he'd upset her while he dried her as she began to hum a catchy tune. He couldn't help but smile as he delicately dried her. He then held the towel around her once she was dry and gave her a very gentle smile. "Kiss?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked up at him. He placed a very light, very delicate kiss on her lips and she returned it with equal delicacy.

"See, that's much better, isn't it?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she held the towel around her as he tucked her wet hair behind her ears before he moved to stand behind her. He quickly tied her hair up loosely and then stepped back around to stand in front of her. He smiled at her when she smiled gently at him. "Come on then." Horatio said softly and he walked out with her just as Walter walked through the door.

"Give us a moment please Walter, Eric is in the waiting room." Horatio asked and Walter nodded and then quickly turned back around as they continued to walk to the bed where Nathan had a new pair of underwear for her. She moaned again as she dropped the towel from around her and threw it on the bed and then looked up at Horatio as she scowled.

"Zoë, you need to get dressed sweetheart." Horatio said softly as Nathan handed him the underwear before he pulled the curtain around the bed once more.

"No clothes" she said as she shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked down to the floor.

"You have to dress, beautiful." Horatio sighed and she looked up at him and tilted her head as her eyes connected with his. They heard the door open again and waited for whoever it was to announce themselves.

"It's Alexx, I've really got to go as there's another call out and they need me, is that okay?" Alexx asked.

"Sure, take care." Nathan called.

"Bye Zoë, see you later Horatio." Alexx called warmly and they both called back to say their byes too, they then heard the door open again as she walked out. Zoë's eyes remained connected with Horatio's.

"Are y-you disappointed?" She asked quietly and Horatio lowered his eyebrows.

"No, no I'm not disappointed sweetheart. I just want you to wear some clothes otherwise no-one can come in." Horatio said softly. She exhaled and then pulled at his gown when she stepped forwards. He exhaled as he pressed his lips into a hard line and studied her curious eyes as they studied his gown. "Please put the underwear on, Zoë." Horatio asked and she pulled his gown up and quickly pulled at his shorts.

He quickly took hold of her hand and pulled it away from him. "Zoë, no." Horatio said firmly as he let go of her hand and sorted his gown out as he looked into her eyes, he knew he'd startled her.

"What?!" She raised her voice, genuinely confused as she didn't know what she did wrong. She stepped back and looked highly confused and as if she was about to cry. She began to hyperventilate as she looked up at Horatio with watery eyes.

"Zoë, Zoë it's okay sweet, that was inappropriate, okay?" Nathan said softly as he stepped forwards and placed his hand on Zoë's shoulder. She looked over to Nathan and studied his calm face.

"In-in-inappropriate?" Zoë questioned and Nathan nodded as she began to calm herself as she studied his gentle facial expression more. She frowned for a moment as she glanced down to the floor and thought about what had just gone on whilst she rubbed her forehead. Nathan gently pulled her hand away from her forehead to stop her from pressing on the fracture.

"I'm sor-sorry-sorry." She said as she looked back up to Horatio and he nodded with a gentle smile himself, mimicking Nathan.

"Please just put the underwear on, Zoë." Horatio asked softly and she nodded as she looked away from him again, she looked down at the floor to her right. He crouched down and then took a light hold of her ankle and tried to lift her leg but she resisted. "Zoë, lift your left for me sweetheart, hold on to me too or you'll lose your balance." Horatio said softly and she placed her hands on his head as she lifted her leg. He got them on her and then took the top from Nathan once he stood again. He gave her a gentle smile. "Arms through the sleeves sweetheart." Horatio said softly. She exhaled and then did as he told her to, he managed to get the trousers on her too and he then tied the drawstrings tight. "Thank you Zoë." Horatio said softly and she looked up at him and he gave her a quick peck on her lips.

"Mmm" she moaned as she pulled on his wrist when he tried to back off.

"She wants more, I'll give you both some space." Nathan said softly as he walked out while he pulled the bed curtain back and gently closed the door after himself.

He placed his palm against her cheek as he looked deeply into her sweet eyes. "We'll get you through this beautiful." Horatio said softly as he swept his thumb over her cheekbone repeatedly. She looked into his eyes, her eyes darting from his left eye to his right over and over and he could see slight confusion in her eyes.

"Through what?" She asked simply as she tilted her head and placed her hands on his waist.

"Doesn't matter." Horatio said softly and then placed his lips against hers, but didn't kiss her. He rubbed his nose against hers as he closed his eyes and felt her gentle breath against his lips as she closed her eyes. "I love you so much, Zo." Horatio said softly as his lips moved against hers. He felt her bite her lip briefly and held his eyes closed.

"I lo-lo-love-love-love-love-love-love–" She continued to stutter as Horatio pulled his head away as she began to tick with each word.

"It's okay sweetheart." He said warmly, cutting her off as he stilled her head from the ticking.

"I love-love you too." She said as she looked up at him and he felt the ticking stop when she didn't resist against his hands. He gave her a smile and then kissed her top lip as they closed their eyes again. He felt her kiss his bottom lip and then felt her move her head so her lips moved against his. He swallowed and they kissed again. She parted her lips and he felt her run her tongue over his bottom lip and he inhaled and then kissed her deeply feeling himself stir deep in his loins.

"Come on, back to bed." Horatio said softly when he started to feel a little lightheaded. She nodded and then turned to climb onto the bed as Horatio walked around and sat on the bed and then sat back when he felt his head spinning violently. He let out a long exhale as he closed his eyes briefly as Zoë moved on the bed and placed her hand on his thigh. He quickly opened them and felt a lot better as she studied his pale, clammy face. He gave her a small drained smile as he sat up a little more. She smiled back at him, looking past his off colour and tired face and was unaware that she was looking past his fatigue.

"We need to re-create that magical night we had when we conceived Emily." Zoë said as she looked up at him and he smiled and then nodded. "Lie down sweetheart." Horatio said softly, she nodded with a smile and then began to move again to lie down. He gently pulled her between his legs and then pulled the blanket up. She rested her head on his shoulder and then turned it so her forehead was nestled between his jaw and shoulder against his neck, his chest was hurting, but he didn't care; he just wanted to feel her relaxed and calm and loved the feeling of her sleeping in his arms. He felt her fall asleep quickly. He was falling asleep as Nathan walked back in.

"Sorry." He whispered and Horatio gave him a quick nod with a tired smile, but he felt much better after sitting down.

"Shall I let them back in? Alexx has also come over as has Walter." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded.

"As long as they don't wake her." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded.

"I'll tell them to be quiet." Nathan said softly and Horatio then nodded back and watched Nathan disappear. Horatio pulled her top up but kept her covered with the blanket and began to rub her stomach. He relaxed his head back and closed his eyes. He let Zoë's skin unwrap beneath his hand as he began to fall back to sleep. He opened his eyes and lifted his head when he heard the door open and all 5 of them entered. He studied Alexx's wide gleaming smile as she quickly walked over to the bed with Walter close behind.

"Hey, it's good to see you awake, sorry I had to leave earlier so quickly." Walter smiled and Horatio gave him a shy smile and nod. They could all see the dark circles under his eyes, they all knew he was exhausted and needed sleep.

"Hey honey, how are you and my baby girl doing now?" Alexx asked as she walked around to the right side of the bed so the left wasn't so crowded. Joe sat down once he saw that Zoë was asleep while Eric took the seat in the corner while Nathan stood at the end of the bed and Walter stood opposite to Alexx on the left side. Horatio swallowed as he took a deep breath and glanced down to the blanket covering them.

"We're alright thank you." Horatio said softly as he looked up to Alexx with a soft smile and heavy eyelids.

"Really?" Alexx asked and Horatio nodded but she saw the slight hurt in his eyes and she realised what she said.

"Horatio, I'm really sorry, I didn't think." Alexx said quickly as she placed her hand on his arm '_How could I just call her my baby girl when they feel like they've lost their children! God damn it Alexx!'_ She thought to herself as she pressed her lips together and took a deep breath.

"It's okay, I know it was just a dream, so does she." Horatio said softly as she rubbed his arm gently.

"What was just a dream?" Walter asked softly.

"Nothing." Horatio said as he looked down at Zoë and continued to rub her stomach just feeling her silky smooth skin.

"How are you both taking it?" Alexx asked softly as she tilted her head.

"It's hard to get my head around it, Zoë doesn't seem too bothered, but she's not quite right yet." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded with an understanding expression.

"She'll come back to us, just like last time, her slower recovery is probably to do with her previous brain injury." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded as he looked down at the blanket. "Okay honey, you should get some rest too." Alexx said as she rubbed his upper arm. He gave her a nod and then looked down at Zoë and they could clearly see that he wanted his space. "Call if you need anything." Alexx said softly and he nodded again, silently. She watched him think for a moment and then gave him her full attention as he looked back up to her.

"Could you please drop by ours and pick up some of her clothes, she's being difficult with the hospital gowns and scrubs." Horatio said quietly and Alexx nodded with a sweet smile as she placed a gentle hand on Horatio's arm.

"Of course Horatio, do you want anything?" Alexx asked and he looked down again. "Don't worry honey, you've got nothing on what I get from my sons…" Alexx said as she raised an eyebrow. Horatio looked up at her and studied her sarcastic, unimpressed face as she thought back to the load of washing she put on that morning. Horatio chuckled a little as he glanced back down to the blanket, amused. "Just some clean clothes? I know you don't want to lie around in that gown." Alexx said softly and he nodded as he looked up at her with a shy smile.

"Thank you." He said quietly and she gave him a warm smile as she took a step back and looked to Zoë.

"I'll be back a little later." Alexx said softly as she placed her hand on Zoë's shoulder and then walked out after giving Nathan a quick hug.

"I'll be off too, I hope you both get better soon." Walter said softly and Horatio nodded.

"Thank you, Walter and thank you for helping Eric save us. We really do appreciate it." Horatio said softly and he gave Horatio a small smile and then walked out after giving Eric a nod. Nathan got up and pulled Zoë's arm from under the blanket and then delicately put a cannula in the back of her hand without disturbing her at all.

"What's that for?" Horatio questioned as he watched Nathan put a clear plastic patch over the cannula to keep it in place.

"Just a small amount of painkiller" Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he watched Nathan put a role of bandage around the hand to firmly hold it in place as he knew she'd probably pull it out and the bandage would at least give him time to stop her. He then injected the painkiller and sat back down and started to get on with the pile of paper he walked in with earlier in the day.

"Nathan, I'm sorry about her language earlier." Horatio apologised embarrassed as he looked to Nathan as he looked up at Horatio. He gave Horatio an easy smile as he put his pen down and leant forwards.

"Don't apologise for it Horatio, she shouldn't either. It's the brain injury talking, it's not her. Don't react to what she says or does, she'll act up more if she gets a reaction from you. It's just her way of communicating at the moment as she's struggling with normal verbal communication when asking for something. She may realise what she's doing sometimes, other times she won't so you can't really tell her off for it. She won't understand if you do tell her off either." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he exhaled and watched Zoë's chest rise and fall each time she took a breath.

"I'm getting a coffee, Joe, do you want one?" Eric questioned as he got up and stretched his back.

"I'll come, thank you." He said softly as they got up.

"Nathan? H?" Eric asked as he looked to them.

"No thank you Eric." Nathan replied as he sat back in the seat and picked his pen up.

"No thank you." Horatio said softly and both Eric and Joe nodded at them and then walked out.

Nathan watched the door close after them before putting his pen down once more and looking towards Horatio. "If she's inappropriate again, which I have a feeling she will be, you just need to tell her gently that it's inappropriate. If you shock her like earlier, you could end up making the situation a whole lot worse. She needs to learn where she can do what with you and she's going to need your guidance for that. If she's inappropriate in front of others, just gently pull her hands away and tell her very quietly that it was inappropriate, don't draw attention to her or what she was doing." Nathan said softly. Horatio nodded and then looked down at Zoë as he exhaled.

'_If she does do anything in front of others, it's going to be embarrassing, but she can't help it. I know she can't help it. I think her head injury is going to cause me more stress than my head injury is causing me.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he lifted his left hand and swept his hand over his brow as he took a deep breath, just feeling frustrated from thinking about her injuries and how difficult she was earlier that day._ 'I just hope that she gets better and quickly.'_ Horatio thought to himself. Nathan pressed his lips together briefly when he saw the concern flutter across Horatio's eyes, he knew what he was thinking.

"Head injuries are difficult things." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded in agreement. _'I hope she doesn't have any lasting problems, she struggles enough as it is with the problems caused from the toxin.'_ Horatio thought to himself as his eyes grew heavier and vision blurred slightly.

"Get some rest Horatio." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded and then rested his head back and closed his eyes. Horatio was taken away to the sweet land of slumber while Nathan got back on with his work. Nathan had the put-up bed collected as Eric didn't want to use it any longer and it was getting in the way. Joe and Eric returned a little while after but sat in silence while Joe sorted out a few things to do with his work whilst Eric kept in contact with the lab. Nathan looked up at Joe with a curious expression when he saw him with a piece of paper in his hand with a wide grin on his face.

"What's making you so happy?" Nathan asked warmly as he sat back, needing a break from the paper work.

"I've just got the number of a very sexy doctor." Joe smiled as he sat back and crossed his legs at the ankles.

"Really? What's her name?" Nathan asked with a small smile, looking quite interested.

"Rachel" Joe smiled and Nathan's eyebrows rose.

"Don't tell me she had really short blonde hair and was tall and skinny?" Nathan asked and Joe nodded up at him with a look of worry fleeting across his face when he saw Nathan's slight concern.

"What's the problem?" Joe asked curiously as he sat forwards, wanting to know what Nathan knew.

"There's no problem really, but she's slept with nearly every guy in Miami, she's also got herpes at the moment. She dropped her cream in the staff room the other day." Nathan said quietly, feeling bad for raining on his parade. Nathan then watched the disgusted look develop on Joe's face.

"Eurgh, seriously? She seemed genuinely nice." Joe said as he quickly ripped the number up.

"Well, I'm not going to lie to you about something that wouldn't affect me. If you've got the eyes for young female doctors, I've got plenty of single friends that I can probably set you up with, you're their type." Nathan said softly as Joe sat back with a sour expression.

"Thanks, but no thanks, I don't think now's the time for that sort of thing anyway." Joe murmured as he glanced over to Zoë and Horatio. Nathan nodded and then got back on with his work while Eric sniggered lightly.

"Told you she was too easy and overly enthusiastic." Eric whispered to Joe and Joe raised his eyebrows at Eric and then nodded. Joe then pulled his phone back out and began to email colleagues at work again to make sure everything was in line.

A couple of hours passed and Zoë woke again. She sat up and took a deep breath, Horatio stirred but didn't wake when she sat up.

"Okay?" Joe asked and she nodded as she looked over to him.

"Mmm" she moaned as she looked over to Nathan. She tilted her head and looked at him before sticking out her tongue. Joe chuckled softly as he looked up at Zoë.

"Is she sticking her tongue out at you?" Joe asked with a smile as Zoë looked around to him confused by his laughter. Nathan looked over to him as he stood and put his paperwork down.

"Are you being cheeky or not?" Nathan asked with a smile as she looked back to him as he slowly approached. She pressed her lips together as she looked up at him sweetly.

"You're not being cheeky, Zoë did you realise you'd poked your tongue out?" Nathan asked softly and she began to scowl at him while she fiddled with her fingers.

"Mmm" she moaned loudly and looked up at him. He placed his hand on her shoulder and he realised she wanted something.

"Do you want a drink sweet?" Nathan asked and she shook her head as Joe sat back with a gentle smile and swept his index finger over his lips as he studied her behaviour.

"Do you want to go to the loo?" Nathan asked and she nodded as her facial expression lit up.

"Okay sweet, we'll go to the loo." Nathan said softly as he took the wires from her head. He took her hands and helped her off the bed, making sure that they didn't disturb Horatio. Joe smiled sweetly at her as she looked over to him as she stood beside the bed while Nathan quickly covered Horatio. She looked down with a shy smile and began to hum quietly to herself again until Nathan turned around and held his hand out to her. She happily took his hand and walked into the en-suite with him. He quickly walked out after instructing her what to do. He then did her trousers up tight after she came back out and then walked her over to the bed. She refused to get up as she looked over to the other bed and began to tick again as she fiddled with her fingers. Eric and Joe looked over to her when they saw her head ticking to the right as she entwined her fingers.

"Do you want to sleep in your bed?" Nathan asked and she shook her head as she pushed him away from her. He looked over to see if he could figure out what she wanted. He could see she was focussing on something in that direction, but couldn't think of what.

"Do you want another blanket?" Nathan asked and she shook her head again as she started to play with her hands more violently as she scowled dangerously at Nathan. Just that look alone struck fear into his heart. '_I would never like to cross her ever. She's managing to scare the living shit out of me and she's unwell.'_ Nathan thought to himself as he ran a fist through his hair trying to work out what she wanted, he couldn't see anything else over there that she could possibly want though.

"What's wrong darling?" Joe asked softly as he stood up when saw her starting to pace on the spot as she knotted her fingers together and began to grind her teeth. Nathan saw her flush red through frustration. '_She's trying to tell me, I can see that she is.'_ Nathan thought to himself as he rubbed his brow and looked from Zoë to the direction she was looking. Joe looked from Nathan to Zoë, completely confused.

"Slut" Zoë raised her voice as she looked over to Joe. Joe's mouth fell open as he looked at her shocked. Eric sat up and looked at her open-mouthed just as shocked as Joe.

"Do you want another pillow?" Nathan asked frantically as he pointed to the pillow, desperate to stop her before the situation escalated.

"Fucking slut" she raised her voice at Nathan and Joe as she stepped back against the bed. Nathan took a deep breath and gave her a calm expression while Joe remained absolutely stunned.

"Fucking dickhead" she said loudly as her twitching got worse as Nathan tried to think while Joe stood there and Eric looked up at her with raised eyebrows, slightly shocked himself, but kept out of it as he was thankful that he wasn't getting any of the abuse.

"Do you want water? Do you want a glass of water?" Nathan asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder after cautiously moving closer. She stopped moving and looked up at him warmly as she nodded. Nathan sighed with relief as he briefly closed his eyes, just thankful that he'd managed to work it out. He was sure she would have got worse if he hadn't have figured it out. "I'll get you some water." Nathan said softly as he moved away from her and poured her a plastic cup of water. Joe stepped closer to her slowly but she moved away from him as she looked down. He moved forwards again.

"Mmm" she moaned as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Give her space." Nathan warned and Joe looked over to him and then backed off her as Nathan walked back over to her and handed her the cup of water. She took a few sips and then looked back up at Nathan with a gentle expression.

"Thank you." She said quietly and he gave her a nod. She looked down as he took the cup from her and placed it on the side. She pressed her lips together as she looked at the floor and then rubbed her left upper arm with her right hand.

"Do you want anything else? Something to eat perhaps?" Nathan asked softly and she shook her head as she began to pull at the top she was wearing. She took a few broken breaths as she concentrated on the floor. Joe knew she was about to cry but didn't want to approach her in case he upset her again. Nathan stepped forwards and placed his hand on her upper arm. She looked up at Joe as a couple of tears fell from her eyes.

"I-I-I'm sorry." She mumbled as she looked at him. Joe gave her a nod and a small smile.

"That's okay darling, you don't need to apologise." He said softly as her bottom lip quivered before she steadied it by biting it.

"She wants a hug." Nathan said softly as he stepped away and Joe looked up at him and then stood, he looked at Nathan for reassurance. Nathan nodded at him encouraging him to comfort her. Joe slowly approached her and she stopped pulling at a gown and reached out to him. He gently pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her and embraced her in a heart-felt hug. He exhaled, just so happy to feel her incredible hug. '_It's the first time she's made contact with me. She's coming back to us, I know it.'_ Joe thought to himself as he closed his eyes and bowed his head as he took in her scent.

"Don't worry about it." He said softly and then kissed her forehead after pulling his head away slightly. She gave him a smile and then lightly kissed his cheek. "Thank you darling." He said quietly with a sweet smile. She pulled away and then climbed back up onto the bed and got under the blanket with Horatio and curled up next to him. Joe stayed standing where he was, overwhelmed; he believed that Zoë wasn't going to accept him back so warmly as she seemed hostile towards him. Nathan walked over to Zoë and then placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn her head to look at him.

"I'm going to put these things back on your head, okay Zoë?" He asked and she nodded at him. She quickly fell asleep after Nathan was finished and sat back in his seat. Nathan made sure they were both asleep and then sat back down. "That's what I mean about the head injury talking. Don't take things like that personally; you know she wouldn't say anything like that. It's her way of communicating that she wants or needs something. The longer she goes without it, the more she plays up. You're not going to like this, but you need to treat her like a child at the moment, even though her mental skills are all still intact." Nathan said softly as he looked from Eric to Joe.

"What's with the ticking?" Joe questioned as he sat forwards, giving Nathan his entire attention.

"I'm not sure, I think it's her showing us her frustration or it could be an involuntary thing." Nathan said softly.

"Why's this happening to her?" Joe questioned as he raised his index finger to his lips and traced his lower lip.

"I don't know, if this continues to happen, I'm going to order a PET scan." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded satisfied.

"PET scan?" Eric asked.

"It'll show us the active parts in her brain, it shows the electrical activity. I'll also order a CT with contrast dye if it carries on to see the blood flow in her brain." Nathan said softly and they nodded.

"Why's she worse than H?" Eric asked curiously.

"His chest received most of the force, he does have a head injury, but not so much as Zoë's. She wouldn't have survived if Horatio hadn't have held her back. Also, her previous brain injury could be adding to the symptoms. The extra stress she's under could be causing some of the symptoms like the ticking and when she fiddles with her hands. With the added frustration of not being able to communicate when she wants something will be exacerbating the stress. I do think she's in there completely intact, but she's struggling to get out of the shell she's in." Nathan said softly and they nodded as they looked down at the floor and thought about it for a moment.

"When will they be allowed home?" Eric asked softly as he looked back up to Nathan. Joe then looked back up to him also wanted an answer to the question.

"Horatio would be allowed home tomorrow, but Zoë will stay here until I'm happy that she can look after herself, and until the pressure in her head goes down. I unfortunately can't say when that'll happen. If it doesn't, I'll have to arrange some sort of care for her at home." Nathan said softly and they both frowned at him.

"She can look after herself though." Eric said softly and Nathan shook his head as he sat back and ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breath.

"She can't, she needs help to do the most basic things." Nathan exhaled as he shook his head. "I can't send them home when she's still this dependent on others as Horatio would really struggle. He's not 100% yet and it could stunt his recovery if he's given the task of having to care for Zoë 24/7. Despite what you think, Horatio is struggling. It's a very confusing time in his head at the moment and he's easily getting frustrated. He's not going to admit to that, but I know he's not 100% yet." Nathan said softly.

"But she will recover, won't she? And Horatio will too, won't he?" Joe questioned with a deep frown.

"I have my doubts as to whether she'll recover fully, but I think she'll recover enough to send her home without care. I think there will be a few difficulties, but nothing she and Horatio can't handle, just like last time. She still has lasting effects, but they get round them. I suspect Horatio will make a full recovery." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded at him.

"If they need help I'm willing to do anything to help them." Eric said softly.

"That's good to know, but she'll need professional care if she was to go home now." Nathan said softly.

"It won't do her any good to be cooped up in here though, she won't recover fully if she's left in this room. You know that, you know that she didn't fully recover until she returned to work last time." Eric said softly.

"She could do the basic things for herself then though, she can't now. I can't give Horatio that sort of responsibility as it'll put too much pressure on him." Nathan argued and Eric nodded in understanding. Joe and Eric sat back for a moment and looked over to Zoë and Horatio as they slept peacefully. Nathan sat back and began to fill out more paperwork.

"How did you know she wanted a hug? How did you know that she wanted space when you told me to back off her?" Joe questioned as he sat forwards again.

"I know what she's like, I know her body language. I can tell from the noises she makes as to what she's thinking, well vaguely anyway." Nathan said softly as he fiddled with the pen in his hands.

"Yes, but I know her better than both of you and just as equally as well as Horatio knows her, I didn't know she wanted space or that she wanted a hug." Joe lowered his eyebrows, baffled at how well Nathan was able to read her.

"I've dealt with other head injuries patients, so from that experience I'm able to look at Zoë, think what her normal reactions and bodily language would do and know what she wants, vaguely anyway. You just need to learn how to read her new form of body language and sounds. She'll usually moan if she wants something for example, but she'll also moan if someone is too close to her. I know what sort of moans they are. It's like babies, they let out different cries according to what they want, she's the same at the moment. Her breathing also gives a lot away. You'll get used to it, don't worry." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he swallowed and looked down as he rubbed his hands together.

"I just don't want to upset her if she's trying to tell me something and I do not understand what she's trying to say." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded as he briefly chewed his pen before pulling it from his mouth.

"I can understand that. If in doubt, give her space. If she wants a hug, she'll look at you and possibly reach out for you. I'll warn you now, she could be inappropriate, her social awareness of what you can and can't do seems to have been distorted a little. If she's inappropriate, don't give too much attention to it, don't shock her and don't tell her off. Just calmly say that it was inappropriate. She might do something to shock you or to get a reaction from you, again, don't draw attention to it. But equally she may genuinely be unaware of what is acceptable and what isn't. If she's inappropriate with Horatio in front of you, don't pay any attention to it, look the opposite direction please. She is more than likely going to be inappropriate with him at some point, it isn't her fault. Horatio will find it more embarrassing than she will, so don't give it any attention at all." Nathan said softly as he looked at the both of them intensely.

"What do you mean when you say that?" Joe asked curiously as he crossed his legs at the ankles.

"Like swearing, inappropriate actions or hand gestures, inappropriate touching of you or perhaps even flashing. I can't tell you what she'll do, but I need to warn you. She had some difficulty this morning, so that's why I'm warning you both." Nathan said softly and they nodded. "But it's not her doing these actions, it's the injury okay? If you shock her and tell her off forcefully, there's no telling what she'll do." Nathan reiterated.

"Okay." They both said simultaneously and Alexx then walked in with a large bag.

"Hey, I've just got some clothes for the both of them and some wash stuff." She said sweetly and Nathan nodded as she placed the bag on the end of the unused bed.

"Thank you Alexx." Nathan said softly.

"How are they doing?" She asked as she placed her hands on her hips and leant against the bed as she glanced over to them sleeping.

"Horatio's good, I'll be discharging him tomorrow, but Zoë is experiencing some difficulties. I'll probably be ordering a PET scan and a CT with contrast." Nathan said softly and Alexx nodded as she glanced over to the monitor with the pressure in Zoë's head.

"What's wrong?" Alexx questioned as she crossed her arms and studied Zoë sleeping peacefully.

"Her behaviour mainly." Nathan exhaled.

"Aggression?" Alexx asked as she looked to Nathan.

"There's some aggression, but it's mainly everything else combined, she's also struggling with tasks." Nathan said softly and Alexx nodded and then pursed her lips as she looked back to Zoë.

"Okay, well if you need anything, call me." Alexx said softly and Nathan nodded, she promptly left and Horatio woke half an hour later.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Nathan asked softly as he rose to his feet and walked over to the bedside as Horatio glanced to Zoë. He didn't move in case he woke her.

"Good, I feel fine." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded, but noticed that he was slightly pale.

"Good, is there anything I can get you?" Nathan asked as he reached over and took Horatio's pulse.

"A glass of water wouldn't go a miss, thank you." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded and then got him a glass of water. Horatio sat up and tried not to wake Zoë but he was unsuccessful. "I'm sorry beautiful." Horatio said softly before he sipped the water and let Nathan take his temperature – it was normal. He quickly handed the cup back to Nathan when Zoë sat up and glanced around the room, taking in the surroundings.

"Horatio" she said softly as she looked up at him and he gave her a small smile and then rubbed her arm. She rose to her knees and moved closer before she wrapped her arms around him. He closed his eyes and buried his nose in her hair and took in the fresh fragrance. She then shuffled into his lap and then rubbed her foot as he placed his hand on her back.

"Okay?" Horatio asked as he wisped a strand of hair out of her eyes and she nodded as she concentrated on her feet. Horatio placed his hand on her foot and then looked to Nathan.

"You wouldn't happen to have any socks, would you?" Horatio asked softly.

"Alexx has just dropped some stuff off for you both." Nathan said as he turned and picked up the bag. He placed it on the bed and Horatio pulled out a pair of socks for her and then put them on her as she watched his hands. She gave him a smile as he looked up at her and smiled back. She placed her hand over his crotch as she turned and looked up to the large TV on the wall.

"TV?" She asked just as Horatio subtly moved her hand to his thigh instead. He looked around just as his cheeks flushed red, but he realised that no-one had noticed so he calmed himself down, he was sure she didn't even realise she'd done it either.

"Do you want it on?" Nathan asked and she nodded as he picked up the remote. He flicked it on and the news appeared and she turned completely to face it.

"Mmm" she moaned as she sat back in Horatio's lap and looked up at it.

"Change the channel?" Nathan asked and she nodded and he flicked and then looked to her and she shook her head. He came to a children's cartoon and she sat back up and crossed her legs as she watched the screen.

"You want to watch this?" Nathan asked but she didn't reply, she looked absorbed in the cartoon.

"While she's occupied, is it okay if I have a shower?" Horatio asked as he rubbed her back and Nathan nodded at him with a gentle smile.

"Just don't lock the door." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he slowly got off the bed without disturbing Zoë, she didn't even realise he'd left despite walking almost directly in front of her.

"Children's cartoons?" Joe questioned Nathan very quietly.

"It's what she wants." Nathan said quietly as he walked over to Joe who didn't look too pleased.

"Why?" Joe whispered.

"It's easier for her to process than the news? I don't know." Nathan said softly as he crossed his arms as he looked down at Joe with a stolid expression. '_He's got to understand that she's recovering, she's not going to want to watch something that confuses her, the news throws too much information at you, I can understand why she wouldn't want to watch that. I barely even like watching it myself. He's just sulking because she's not recovering as quickly as he'd like. I understand that I guess though, you never want to see those close to you unwell.'_ Nathan thought to himself as Joe exhaled and sat back and watched Zoë watch the TV. He pressed his index finger into the corner of his mouth as he watched her play with the engagement ring on her left hand as she gave the TV her full attention.

Nathan sighed and then rubbed his brow. "Look, she's not the person you know at the moment, just give her a chance to recover, this could help her. It'll give her the easy stimulus she needs right now." Nathan said softly and Joe swallowed and nodded, he knew he was sulking. He watched her raise her left hand and put her thumb in her mouth as she raised her right hand to her forehead.

"Shouldn't you tell Kaitlin that she's awake?" Nathan asked softly.

"She'll hit rock bottom if she sees Zoë like this. I've told her that Zoë is awake and physically well, but I've said that it's best if they don't see her yet." Joe sighed and Nathan frowned as he tilted his head at Joe.

"She'll have to see her at some point, she may not make the recovery you hope for. You can't stop her from seeing Zoë if she doesn't recover fully. It'll do her good to see new faces and have more interaction with people other than us." Nathan said softly.

"I know, but if Zoë has an outburst or does something like what you were explaining then Kaitlin will freak. Jess can probably deal with it, but Kaitlin is sensitive. If she doesn't make the full recovery, then I'll explain everything to Kaitlin to try and make her understand but I'm afraid that if something happens when she's around she won't want to see Zoë again, she won't want to see what Zoë's become." Joe said softly and Nathan looked at him as his jaw slacked a little, quite shocked.

"I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound like a good friend to me." Nathan said softly as he tensed his crossed arms as his eyebrows lowered further.

"There's something you need to understand about them and that's that they're both incredibly sensitive when it comes to the other. Kaitlin would try her best to accept Zoë for who she is now, but she'd want to remember Zoë as the Zoë she used to be, not the Zoë now. You may think of Zoë as hard as nails, but when it comes to those she's close to, she's very sensitive and soft. They both put up fronts that make them seem hard, but they're nothing of the sort once you get to know them. I can understand it from both of your points of view. Don't get me wrong, I do think that she should accept and help Zoë through this, but I can understand why she can't and won't. She can't even see Zoë when she gets a mild cold or anything. Kaitlin will literally cry herself to sleep if Zoë becomes unwell with anything that is more than a cold. She didn't sleep when we found out that Zoë had a heart problem, she panicked about her night and day. She's not slept since being here, she's worried sick about Zoë, but knows she'll only panic herself into a mess if she comes to see Zoë. Why do you think I can't put my phone down? Kaitlin wants an update every hour at least. She just cries more when I have to tell her that there's no change in Zoë, that she's still not our Zoë, not just yet anyway." Joe said with a range of emotions making a show throughout his speech. Both he and Nathan heard a very loud bang come from Zoë's direction and looked over to her to see that she'd kicked the end of the bed. She put her head in her hands as she began to cry and Nathan realised that she was probably well aware of what was being said about her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"I'm so sorry Zoë" Nathan said as he walked over to her and placed his hand on her back. She pulled away immediately and pushed his hand away before she got up off the bed.

"I-I-I-I-I'm still Zo-Zoë" she cried as she shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself as she leant against the wall. Her tears fell to the floor when she bowed her head and closed her eyes. Joe stood up and listened to her erratic, broken breathing as she sobbed and began to feel very guilty.

"I know sweet, I know that, we all know that. You are Zoë." Nathan said as he began to walk around the bed slowly.

"Where's Horatio?" She cried as she moved away from Nathan and wrapped her arms around herself tighter as Eric lifted his head from the slumped position it was in. He looked over to Zoë and saw her crying. He immediately frowned but stayed put as he knew he'd make the situation worse.

"Horatio's having a shower." Nathan said very tenderly as he reached out for her but she moved away from him and into the corner of the room. She backed up so her back was against the two connecting walls. "I'm not going to hurt you sweet, I promise you." Nathan said smoothly as he placed his hands on his pockets and lowered his head to try and get a look into her downcast eyes, but had no luck, he stepped away from her in hope of that making her feel more comfortable but it didn't seem to have any affect.

"Horatio" she raised her voice as she shook her head and continued to breathe erratically and brokenly. "Horatio" she cried out and the en-suite door quickly opened and Horatio walked out with half-dried hair and a concerned frown as he looked over to Zoe. He saw Zoë in the corner of the room as she looked up at him. "Horatio" she said as she looked over to him and he saw her need, her desperateness. He quickly walked over to her as Nathan backed off, allowing Horatio to freely pass him.

She released herself as he approached and looked up at him with red, watery eyes. "You're okay beautiful, Nathan won't hurt you." Horatio said softly as he took her hand and then kissed the back of her knuckles. She moved closer and then began to cry into his chest again as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "What's wrong sweetheart?" Horatio asked as he rubbed her back. When she didn't answer he looked over to Nathan for an answer.

"I'll explain later." He mouthed to Horatio and Horatio nodded as he pressed his lips into a hard, displeased line. '_Someone has upset her.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he glanced to Joe and Eric. All 3 men looked gravely concerned, Joe and Nathan also looked to be feeling very guilty as they both looked at Zoë with soft, sad eyes with their hands in their pockets. Horatio felt her breathing ease out slightly and knew she was calming down as his hand disappeared into her hair. He waited a few moments until he was sure she was calm enough to let go of him.

"Let's get back on the bed, yes?" Horatio asked and she nodded against his chest. She pulled away and then wiped her eyes as he gestured for her to get up but she shook her head as she looked up at him. '_I've got to relax soon, my head is pounding.'_ Horatio thought to himself as the light seemed to intensify slightly. "Do you want me to get up first?" He asked and she nodded. He quickly got onto the bed and she then climbed up and sat between his legs. He immediately felt more comfortable in his shirt and suit-trousers. She was quickly drawn back into the cartoon once she felt one of Horatio's hands on her thighs as he sat forwards with his chest lightly making contact with her back. Once she'd calmed down, Horatio dried the rest of his hair gently with the towel and then put it over the side of the bed to dry. He sat forwards and placed both of his hands over hers as they rested on her thighs and placed his chin on her shoulder with his cheek against her hair. "Okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded. She relaxed back on him as he sat back. She placed her head on his shoulder and then pulled her top up to her ribs. She took his hand and placed it on her stomach and he began to stroke her skin as he knew that was what she wanted him to do. With his other hand he quickly pulled her top back down and pulled the blanket up to cover her slightly exposed stomach while he affectionately stroked her skin. He swallowed and clenched his jaw slightly as the pain in his chest intensified. Nathan quickly walked out and re-entered with a syringe.

"Just some pain medication, okay?" Nathan said softly and Horatio gladly nodded as he held his left hand out to him where the cannula was. Nathan quickly introduced the painkiller into his system and he felt almost immediately better. "I think I'm going to be able to discharge you tomorrow, Horatio. Obviously, you will be able to stay here though and the other bed won't be filled." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as Zoë brought her left hand up and began to suck her thumb. Horatio leant forwards and turned his head slightly to get a look at her doing this. He sat back when she didn't even look back to him. She seemed contented so Horatio didn't say anything.

"Zoë, I'm just going to attach the wires to your head again to monitor the pressure, okay?" Nathan asked and she looked round to him and shook her head as she sat up.

"Horatio" she said quietly after she pulled her thumb from her mouth as she glanced back to Horatio.

"Do you want Horatio to do it?" Nathan asked and she nodded. "Okay, Horatio can do it." Nathan said as he handed the wires to Horatio. Zoë sat back and concentrated on the TV again while Nathan pointed to the points on her head where the wires had to be attached to and Horatio carefully did it without disturbing her.

"Zoë, I want to ask you some questions is that okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded. He turned the TV off to get her full attention but she moaned and then looked back round to him. He sighed softly as he looked to her. "I need to ask you some questions, sweet." Nathan said warmly and she just pointed back to the TV. Nathan quickly gave in and turned it back on, she quickly looked back to it.

"Nathan needs to ask some questions." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she watched the TV.

"Can I ask you some questions while you watch the TV?" He asked softly and she nodded as she looked round to him. She tilted her head and waited for the questions.

"Can you say 'may I have a glass of water'?" Nathan asked softly as he crossed his arms.

"Ma-may I have a glass-glass-glass-glass of wat-water?" Zoë said softly as the tick returned. '_Okay, the stuttering and mumbling gets worse when she asked for something and copied me. Can to ask for something without copying?'_ Nathan thought to himself as he gave her a set sweet smile.

"Okay sweet well done. Can you ask for a shower?" Nathan asked and she looked up at him with a stroppy frown developing. Horatio rested his head back with his eyes on Zoë, watching intensely. '_At least the painkiller is working.'_ He thought to himself when a sudden wave of stress flushed through him. "Can you say 'may I have a shower'?" Nathan asked softly and she repeated again with a bit of stuttering and repetition as she began to play with the blanket.

"Is there anything you want or need now that you can ask for?" Nathan asked softly and she remained quiet as she just stared at him with an unreadable expression. They heard her stomach growl and she looked down at it and then looked at the TV as she turned back to it.

"You're hungry, what do you need to do to rectify that?" Nathan asked softly and she shrugged.

"Zoë…" Horatio said with a tone of encouragement as he placed his hand on her back.

"Eat." She said as she looked back round to Horatio and Nathan nodded at her with a gentle expression when she looked over to him.

"Can you ask for what you want?" Nathan asked softly and she remained silent again. "Can you at least try?" Nathan asked softly and she began to tick as she took hold of the bottom of her top and began to pull lightly. "Okay, okay sweet don't worry about it." Nathan said softly, hoping to deter her from another outburst. "Can you tell me about your dog, Abby?" Nathan asked softly and her eyes began to glow brightly as a wide smile appeared across her face. It was clear that Nathan was very successful in deterring another outburst as she sat up straight and gave him her full attention.

"She was a golden Lab-Labrador, she loved to sleep on my-my bed with me but would never get up if I wasn't there. She-she-she loved David too. I named her Abby with David after we got her when she was a puppy–" Zoë said excitedly as she began to play with Horatio's hand.

"Well done Zoë. As you may notice, Zoë, you're speech is a little slurred and you can stutter, but you're able to form good sentences when talking about things like that, but you don't seem to be able to ask for anything that you want or need. This could be stemming from your reluctance to ask for help. What I mean is that could be exacerbated to the point of where you can't ask for things that you need, such as the loo or water. With time, I foresee that you'll improve so it's nothing to worry about. But if you're able to point to things that you want it could be a big help to us, okay?" Nathan asked softly and she nodded.

"Do you want something to eat?" Nathan asked softly but she didn't reply, she just looked round to Horatio.

"Do you want something to eat sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly and she exhaled as she dropped his hand from hers.

"Are-are you eating?" She asked softly as she rubbed her forehead.

Horatio took hold of her right hand and pulled it away from her forehead with a gentle expression. "No sweetheart, I'm not hungry." Horatio said softly and she then shook her head as her stomach growled again. He could feel himself getting stressed again. "You're hungry beautiful, you need to eat something." Horatio said softly and she shook her head stubbornly. "If I eat something will you eat something?" He asked as he exhaled and rubbed his weary brow again.

"Yes" she replied as she nodded. Horatio exhaled again and then nodded at her, giving her a forced smile.

"We'll both have something, please Nathan." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded with a contented smile, he was happy to see that Horatio was able to manipulate her as well as he could for her best interests.

"Something from the canteen?" Nathan asked softly and she nodded as she looked over to him as she placed her hand on Horatio's chest. Horatio took a deep breath and exhaled the pain away.

"Thank you" she said softly and Nathan gave her a sweet smile and then glanced to Horatio. Horatio gave him a quick nod to assure him that he was okay.

"Would you guys like anything while I'm down there?" Nathan asked as he turned to Joe and Eric.

"I'll come and help with everything." Eric said softly and Nathan nodded and then looked to Joe.

"I'm good thanks." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded. Eric got up and walked out with Nathan while Joe sat back and texted once again. She turned to face him as she crossed her legs and sat between his legs as her knees rested on his thighs. She removed her hand from his chest and placed both of her hands on his strong thighs. He exhaled a sigh of relief when he felt the release of pressure on his ribs.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly as he placed his hands on her knees.

"Go-good" she replied as she then reached up to her head as the wires had started to twist.

"Leave them alone beautiful, you see that number there?" Horatio asked softly as he pointed to the number on the monitor and she looked as she took a gentle hold of one of his hands.

"Yeah" she said as she placed her hand back on his chest and stared at the number on the monitor.

"That is what those wires are measuring, that number needs to come down just a little bit and then you can take them off." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then smiled at him. She removed her hand from his chest and looked down at his crotch and placed her hand over him. His heart rate immediately accelerated as his face flushed bright red as he looked over to Joe in hope that he hadn't noticed. He quickly took her hand from him, being gentle with her as he swallowed. He exhaled a long breath when he realised that Joe hadn't even looked up from his phone.

"Inappropriate, sweetheart." Horatio whispered softly and she looked up at him with a gentle, sweet expression. His heart rate calmed as he felt the heat in his cheeks dissipate as embarrassment left.

"Am I taking my-my-my pills?" She asked him as she played with his fingers, watching their hands entwine with each other's.

"I don't think so, but I think Nathan has you one some special medication for your asthma." Horatio said softly as he lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles gently. With the kiss, he felt his stress alleviate, he then ran his lips over her knuckles and closed his eyes, feeling completely at ease.

"What about my pill?" She asked softly as she watched him do this.

"I don't think so." Horatio said softly and she nodded as he brought her hand away from his lips and placed it down in her lap.

"So we can't have sex-sex-sex-sex just yet, or without a-a condom?" Zoë asked softly and Horatio flushed bright red as he closed his eyes for a moment, just hoping that Joe wasn't listening to any of it. He opened them again and saw her staring at him looking puzzled.

"Sweetheart, I think this is a conversation for another time." Horatio said as he glanced over to Joe. Her eyes followed his as she looked at him with a sweet smile, she didn't seem too bothered by it.

"It's okay, I'll give you guys a bit of space." Joe said softly as he got up and then quickly walked out, he could see that Horatio was highly embarrassed and even felt slightly embarrassed himself and for Horatio. Horatio watched the door close as Zoë looked back to him and tilted her head. He looked back to her once the door was closed. He reached up with a gentle hand and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He gave her a gentle smile when he saw her eyes move to look at his lips. He could feel a small charge between them, he always could when she looked at his lips.

"No we can't have sex sweetheart, anyway, you have to get better before we do anything like that." Horatio said softly as he skimmed his thumb over her cheek.

"But I am better." She argued as she reached up and did the same to his cheek.

"You've still got a bit of pressure in your head sweetheart, if we did anything like that it could make you severely unwell." Horatio said softly and she exhaled heavily as she bit her lip and traced her fingertips along his jaw line. He watched her eyes follow her finger as a small smile appeared across her face.

"When you're better" Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked down at his shirt after placing her hand in her lap.

"When-when did you change?" Zoë asked softly as she lifted her hand back up and began to fiddle with a button.

"After my shower sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she continued to look at his shirt with a gentle expression. He very gently lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. Once her eyes connected with his, he gave her a gentle smile and placed his palm against her cheek. "Can you tell me why you were upset when I got out of the bathroom?" Horatio asked softly as his eyes darted from her right eye to her left and back, repeatedly.

"They were talk-talking-talking about me and saying that I'm not Zoë. But-but I am Zo-Zoë. I am Zoë, aren't I?" She asked looking confused with herself and Horatio exhaled and then nodded. '_They did upset her.'_ Horatio thought to himself, feeling very frustrated and guilty. '_I shouldn't have left her, but she may have got the wrong end of the stick. They wouldn't discuss things like that around her, would they?'_ Horatio thought to himself. He sat up and pulled her in for a hug when he saw the tears in her eyes again. "They were saying that Kaitlin didn't wan-want to see me because I'm not Zoë, I am-am Zoë, aren't I, Ho-Horatio?" She mumbled quietly slurring into his chest. '_She didn't get the wrong end of the stick, they were actually saying that? In front of her?' _Horatio thought to himself as he closed his eyes and rubbed her back gently, he could hear her genuine confusion and felt incredibly bad for her as she was questioning who she was.

"You are Zoë sweetheart, you're just having a few difficulties with speech, that's all." Horatio said softly and she nodded against his chest.

"Are you sure I'm Zoë? You-you'd tell me the truth, wouldn't you?" She asked looking confused as she sat back up and bit her lip.

"Of course you're Zoë, don't let anyone tell you any different." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then hugged him again with a chirpy smile. She sat back and he then wiped the tears from her eyes as Nathan, Joe and Eric walked back in.

"Everything okay?" Nathan asked softly as he balanced the tray. Horatio looked over to him with a gloomy expression. Nathan knew something was wrong that instant but he frowned when he saw Zoë's very happy face.

"Yes, Zoë's just told me about earlier when she was upset. I'd like some words with all 3 of you later, please." Horatio asked firmly and they all looked at him and then nodded, Joe and Nathan's heart rate had accelerated, both could see that Horatio was exceptionally unhappy about it.

"Of course Horatio. Zoë, we are extremely sorry." Nathan said softly and she just looked back to Horatio, he quickly gave her a forced smile as he nodded, she then looked back to Nathan with a nod and a smile. Horatio's facial expression changed back to the gloomy displeased expression almost instantly as Nathan swallowed, he knew he was going to get an earful from Horatio when Zoë wasn't around.

"I am-am Zoë." She said softly as she looked up at Nathan with her smile slowly disappearing.

"I know sweet, we shouldn't have been talking about you." Nathan said softly and she then nodded again as she looked down to the blanket that she was fiddling with. "Cheese sandwich and some crisps?" Nathan asked softly. He smiled as he watched her smile grow into an excitable grin. "I thought so, here you go sweet." Nathan said as he handed her the food and then a bottle of water. "Not too sure what you liked Horatio, I just got you a prawn salad sandwich as it was the only one left as Zoë has the last cheese one, is that okay?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded with a gentle expression as his gloomy eyes softened.

"That's fine, thank you Nathan." He said softly and Nathan smiled and then handed him the food. Horatio opened Zoë's sandwich packet for her when she was struggling. He then opened his and took a bite of the corner of the sandwich when Zoë looked up at him with the sandwich in her hands. Once he'd finished his mouthful she put her sandwich back in the packet.

"What's the matter beautiful?" Horatio asked softly and she picked up the packet and held it out to him as she bit her lip. "I've got a sandwich sweetheart. Cheese is your favourite, Zoë." Horatio said softly as he gently pushed it back over to her to encourage her to eat it.

"Mmm" she moaned as she held it out to him again and then looked down at his sandwich in his hand.

"I think she wants your sandwich." Nathan said softly as he sat back with a spicy chicken wrap in his hands. Horatio glanced to him and then looked back to Zoë as she nodded at him.

"This has got prawns in sweetheart, you don't like prawns." Horatio said softly and she continued to hold the sandwich out to him as she looked from his eyes to his sandwich. "Are you sure? I've taken a bite out of it." Horatio asked and she nodded confidently. He then handed her the sandwich he had and she then placed the one she had in his lap. He saw the delighted smile on her face and hid a frown. '_She hates prawns, she feels sick whenever she even gets the smell of them. I think she'll throw it away after the first bite.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Thank you" she said softly before she took a bite from the sandwich. Joe looked at her open mouthed. Zoë looked round to him and tilted her head at him.

"Sorry darling, it's just that I never thought you'd even touch a sandwich that someone else had taken a bite from. You refused to eat sandwiches that I'd made if I touched anything but the crusts." Joe said softly as she finished her mouthful.

"Horatio" she said with a smile as she glanced back to Horatio with a blissful smile.

"Is it because it's Horatio who's touched it?" Joe asked and she nodded and then took another bite and he gave her a smile and then exhaled a small chuckle as he sat back, happy to see her so at ease and so comfortable. "You're full of surprises these days." He smiled at her and she returned the smile. She finished the first sandwich and then left the other part. She rubbed her stomach when she felt slightly nauseous and looked down at the prawns in the sandwich.

"Feeling a little sick?" Nathan asked and she nodded slowly as she puffed her cheeks out. '_I knew I shouldn't have let her eat the sandwich, she's going to throw up on me now. Excellent.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he watched her cover her mouth as she looked up at him with furrowed eyebrows. Nathan got up and opened her bottle of water for her and held it out. "Have some water sweet, it'll calm your stomach." Nathan said softly and she took it from him with a sweet smile and then put it on the side when she felt better. She rubbed her chest a little and then looked down. She looked back up to Horatio with a shocked expression. Horatio put the sandwich down, fearing something was wrong. Her mouth opened as she continued to look at him stunned and confused. He quickly reached over to take her pulse as he saw her place her hand over her chest so thought she was having chest pain.

She pulled her hand from his grip and took hold of the bottom of her top. "Where have my-my boobs gone?" She asked frantically as she began to lift her top. Horatio quickly reached over and pulled her top back down before she could expose herself. "Where have they gone?" She asked as she looked back up to Horatio. He prised her hands off the top and took a firm grip of her hands.

"Don't pull it up Zoë." Horatio said softly as he held her gaze with his eyes firmly.

"But, they're so small! They were a C!" Zoë said as she looked at Horatio and cupped herself after pulling her hands from his firm grip.

"Zoë, you've only ever been a C when you were pregnant with Maya, you went back down after that." Horatio said quietly as he took hold of her wrists again and tried to pull her hands from herself.

"No, but how am I going to give Olive any milk?" She questioned Horatio as he pulled her hands from her chest slowly, using quite a bit of force.

"Zoë, that was a dream, remember? We don't have children." Horatio said softly and she exhaled as she looked down at his hands holding hers and thought about his words. She then nodded once she'd remembered.

"Sorry" she said as she looked back up to Horatio.

"You don't need to apologise sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs as he looked into her eyes warmly.

"But they're smaller than usual, they can't even be a B cup, look." She said as she tried to pull the top up again but he quickly stopped her.

"You've probably lost a bit of weight, Zoë. You'll put it back on, don't worry." Nathan said softly, she glanced around to him before she pulled at the collar of the top and looked down the top. She frowned as she studied herself and then went to cup herself again when she looked back up to Horatio but he quickly pulled her hands away from herself again.

"Where's my bra? Why aren't I wearing a bra?" She asked him.

"You've got some bras in that bag." Horatio said softly and she looked over to it. "You can put one on after your shower later." He said softly and she nodded with a smile as she looked back over to him. He saw that she had relaxed and picked up the cheese sandwich. "Can you eat the other half of the sandwich for me, please?" Horatio asked softly and she picked it up and then looked back at Horatio. He watched her eyes skip to the cheese sandwich and he took a deep breath. "Do you want to swap again?" Horatio asked and she nodded. He then swapped the sandwiches around again and gave her a small reassuring smile. Once finished she then rubbed her stomach again as she looked down. Horatio finished the sandwich and then placed his hand over hers.

"Do you need the loo?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked up at him with a bright expression.

"Go on then sweetheart, you don't need permission." Horatio said very softly as he tucked her hair behind her ear as Nathan looked up to the both of them as Zoë looked down again.

"She needs some help, I'm happy to help, but I feel that she'll want you there more than me." Nathan said softly.

"Ah, that's not a problem." Horatio said as he rubbed her upper arm and then got off the bed and helped her off. He picked up their packets and then threw them in the bin as he walked into the bathroom with Zoë. They both returned a couple of minutes later and got back onto the bed. Zoë snuggled up with Horatio and quickly fell asleep. Horatio made sure she was asleep and then looked up to the 3 of them with his displeased expression making a show again.

"You were talking about her when she was awake and watching TV?" Horatio questioned lowly as his eyes darted to each of them.

"Yes, I'm terribly sorry, she looked like she wasn't giving anything other than the TV attention. I got it wrong, I can't say how sorry I am." Nathan said sincerely as he stood up and placed his hand on the end of the bed.

"I am terribly sorry too, but I didn't think she was listening at all." Joe said quietly as he looked at Horatio's fiery eyes.

"You should both know that she is excellent at listening in on conversations when concentrating on something else. Eric, you probably know that better than the both of them from working with her." Horatio scolded as he pulled her top up and began to sweep his fingertips over her stomach as he could feel himself losing it a little too much. He made sure that she was covered by the blanket as he awaited another apology.

"I know H, but I wasn't a part of the conversation, I wasn't even listening in. I think I was sleeping, I woke when everything kicked off." Eric said quietly.

"Sorry Eric." Horatio apologised and Eric gave him a nod and a small smile, he could see that Horatio was struggling to keep it together. Horatio exhaled a deep breath and felt heat in his cheeks where he was becoming too frustrated.

"We didn't mean to upset her at all." Joe said sincerely. '_I know they didn't mean it, but they shouldn't have done it.'_ Horatio thought to himself as Joe and Nathan studied his red cheeks, both thought he was going to really lose it.

"She asked me whether she was Zoë, she was confused and questioning herself as to who she was because of what you were talking about. She's already confused enough without something like that being added to the top." Horatio said quietly as he caught a wave of her scent as she moved slightly.

"We are sorry, I didn't think she could concentrate on more than one thing, I was thinking back to her coma last time. I got it wrong, I can't say how sorry I am but I will say that it'll never happen again." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded at lot happier now he'd felt her move in her arms which caused the release of her scent as he looked down at her.

"She's still the same person, just with some more difficulties. Don't make her question who she is." Horatio warned.

"That was never our intention, we know she's the same person, but the differences are undeniable, you can't argue against that." Nathan said softly, just making sure that Horatio wasn't in denial about Zoë's condition.

"She doesn't need to know that there are differences, it'll upset her. She needs our support whether there's differences or not and she doesn't need us to point them out to her; it'll set her back. She still questions me about whether she's changed since her last coma, she's very self-conscious when it comes to things like that and I'd appreciate it if you could keep all conversation until she was a long way from the room or in a deep sleep like now, thank you." Horatio said softly and they all nodded as Horatio put his head back against the pillow. He rubbed his weary brow and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, feeling frustrated again and very tired.

"I've got patients to see, I suggest that you try and get some rest, Horatio." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he opened his eyes to look at Nathan. His eyes immediately softened when he could see that Nathan and Joe felt exceptionally bad about the whole situation. '_Was I too hard on them?'_ he asked himself. He then looked down to Zoë and felt his cheeks pulling at his lips to create a smile.

"It doesn't look like I'm going anywhere for some time." He smiled as he studied Zoë who'd wrapped herself around him and Nathan smiled as he got up from the seat.

"If you need anything, call, okay?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded with an appreciative expression. Nathan then quickly walked out as Horatio put his head back down to the pillow with an exhale.

"I think I'm going to grab a coffee, Joe, you coming?" Eric asked and Joe nodded as he stood and put his phone away in his pocket.

"We'll see you later H." Eric said softly and he gave them both a nod as he began to lightly rub Zoë's side instead of her stomach. He looked down at her and then exhaled and kissed the top of her head as he closed his eyes. He kissed her again and then took a deep breath to take in the fragrance of her hair. He quickly fell asleep, with a small smile on his face. Zoë woke 20 minutes later and then sat up without waking Horatio and watched a little more TV as Nathan had left it on. She got off the bed and then pulled her top off and tried to get the trousers off, but Horatio had done them up tightly so she couldn't get them past her hips and she couldn't untie them. She climbed onto the other bed and stood as she pulled her socks off and threw them to the floor and watched the TV as a children's action program came on. She then looked down at Eric's gun on the side and tilted her head. She got off the bed and picked it up, she studied it intensely before she climbed back up onto the bed.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

She aimed the gun at the TV screen just as Eric walked back through the door with a coffee in his hand. She didn't even seem to notice that he'd walked in. His eyes widened as he very nearly dropped the coffee. He quickly exited and closed the door again and pushed Joe away.

"Go and get Nathan now." Eric ordered as he stood by the door and Joe looked at him with a confused frown. "Just go and get Nathan, now." Eric ordered and Joe quickly walked away, highly confused. He came back with Nathan who also had a frown upon his face. He crossed his arms as he looked at Eric and awaited an explanation. "Nathan you need to go in there. I need you to wait out here for a moment, Joe." Eric said softly as he looked from Nathan to Joe with a grave expression.

"What? why?" Joe questioned as he tilted his head, searching Eric's body language and eyes.

"Just trust me, it's for your own safety, okay?" Eric said as he moved from the door to let Nathan in. "Be careful, if you need a hand, call me." Eric said softly and Nathan lowered his eyebrows and then walked in and closed the door quietly. Nathan turned around and saw Zoë standing on the bed playing with the gun.

"Eric, I need you in here now." Nathan said loudly as he stared up at Zoë and she jumped on the bed before looking over to him with a smile. "Zoë, sweet can you get down please?" Nathan asked very warmly as he reached out to her. She tilted her head when she picked up on the fear in his eyes as his hand began to tremble. He was absolutely terrified that she was going to hurt him or someone else, or even perhaps herself. She turned to him in the process, pointing the gun at him, completely unaware of what she was doing or where it was pointing. "Eric!" Nathan said loudly again.

"Wait here, do not come in, okay?" Eric questioned and Joe nodded reluctantly. Eric quickly walked in and closed the door. He turned around and saw Zoë beginning to hyperventilate as she began to move the gun around. Nathan knew she was only hyperventilating because she was starting to worry as he was worrying.

"Zoë, sweet, I need you to put the gun down, please?" Nathan asked as she began to pace on the bed as she looked at him. "It's okay Zoë, you're okay. Try and calm your breathing down for me please." Nathan said softly but she continued to hyperventilate as she paced.

"Nathan, I don't think it's appropriate that I'm in here." Eric said as he kept his eyes firmly on Nathan, trying to completely block out the fact that Zoë had no top or bra on.

"I need you in here to get that gun. I don't know what to do with it if I get it off her, it could be live for all I know. I've never handled a gun in my life. I'm sorry, I know I'm putting you in an uncomfortable situation right now." Nathan said as he looked to Eric and Eric nodded as he swallowed, he could see how terrified Nathan was.

"Zoë, come on sweet, that's dangerous." Nathan said softly. She aimed it back at the TV and took the safety off, training it right on the middle of the screen. Eric looked over to Zoë with a grim frown and looked at the gun in her hands rather than her. He could see her finger tightening on the trigger.

"Zoë, stop. You know Horatio won't like it if you pull that trigger, will he?" Eric said tenderly as he took a step forwards and she looked round to him as she released the trigger.

"He won't?" She asked and Eric shook his head as he looked her dead straight in the eye as he reached out with his palm up. Nathan began to relax slightly when he saw Eric getting through to her.

"No he won't, he'd want you to give the gun to me." Eric said and she looked over to Horatio and tilted her head as she studied him sleeping. She then looked back to Eric with gentle eyes.

"Would he?" Zoë questioned as she turned the gun and began swinging it.

"Yes, Horatio would want you to give me the gun." He said confidently as he watched her swing it around while he became a lot more worried. "Zoë, stop that please; it's dangerous, Horatio won't like that at all." Eric said softly and she stopped swinging the gun and held the barrel to her sternum. Eric swallowed as his eyes narrowed on the gun, which was very close to her bare chest. He hated himself, he didn't want to be there at all, but he knew it wasn't her fault and that Nathan needed his help. "Can you put the safety on and then hand it here please?" Eric asked and she looked back down to it and then began to fiddle with it as both of their hearts beat wildly as her fingers were very close to the trigger. They both began to sweat profusely very quickly. "Don't worry about the safety Zo, just hand it here please?" Eric asked softly. Suddenly out of no-where she just leapt off the bed, over to Horatio's. She landed on his bed and then bounced off and into the wall as her momentum carried her. Horatio immediately woke and saw her fall from the wall to the floor.

"Zoë!" He said as he sat up, shocked and began to get out of bed as Nathan and Eric rushed over to the side of the bed. Zoë moaned as Eric picked the gun up off the floor and put the safety back on and then put it in the back of his trousers. Nathan and Horatio crouched either side of her as Nathan placed his hands on the back of her neck to see if she'd done anything to it. Eric stepped back, giving her space and looked away, out of the window.

"Do you hurt anywhere sweet?" Nathan questioned softly as he moved his fingers over her the bones in her neck. She let out a moan and began to squirm.

"No" she replied as she tried to push Nathan away but Horatio quickly took hold of her wrists delicately.

"You're okay sweetheart, let Nathan check you over." Horatio said tenderly as he held her arms down against her, placing her hands against her stomach.

"Eric, can you get a blanket for me please?" Nathan questioned and Eric quickly got him one.

"Stay very still, Zoë." He said firmly but lightly as he removed his hands from her neck to take the blanket from Eric. He quickly covered her as Horatio released her wrists. Nathan quickly placed his hands around her neck again as she had begun to move her head and neck.

"What were you doing, Zoë?" Horatio questioned softly as Zoë took hold of Nathan's wrists and tried to pull his hands from her neck. '_He didn't see the gun, thank God. He would have fired me. It was so stupid of me, I think I deserve something like that. That's the second time I've left it lying around. I could have killed Zoë, she could have accidentally shot anyone of us and it would have been my fault. I wouldn't have lived with myself. I am never leaving it unattended ever again.'_ Eric thought to himself as he ran his hands through his hair.

"I don-don't know" she said innocently as she looked up at him and let go of Nathan's wrists when he resisted against her.

"Zoë, try not to move for me sweet, you could have done something to your neck or back, not to mention your head." Nathan said as he kept hold of her neck. She let out a loud distressed moan and she reached up to try and push him away again as she kicked the wall and began to push herself away. "Stay still, please Zoë." Nathan asked as she squirmed and began to really panic as she let out another moan and took hold of his wrists, this time using her nails to try and prise his hands from her neck as she began to gasp for air.

"Let me take her neck." Horatio said and Nathan looked up at him with a frown. "Trust me." Horatio said and then took over for Nathan and she began to relax almost immediately.

"I'm sorry Zoë." Nathan apologised softly as he realised it was because he had hold of her neck that caused her to panic, he thought she was just being stubborn.

"I'm going to get Joe, he's probably wondering what that noise was." Eric said softly and Nathan nodded.

"I'm going to shine this light in your eyes, okay? Stay still for me." Nathan said softly as he pulled his pen torch out. "Look at my ear sweet." Nathan said softly as he pointed to his left ear and then shone the light in her eyes. Horatio watched and felt his heart sink more, he could see just how much she was struggling mentally. '_If I had have saved her from that poison, she would have probably made a full recovery by now.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he watched Zoë look at Nathan's left ear.

"What happened?!" Joe questioned as he and Eric walked in.

"Not now." Nathan said as he put the torch away and listened to her chest using his stethoscope.

"Are you sure you don't hurt anywhere?" Nathan asked softly.

"Sure." She said as he placed his hands around the back of her neck again.

"Only touch the centre of her neck, okay?" Horatio said quietly and Nathan nodded as he felt her neck again and then felt her forehead.

"Horatio, can you ask please? She might not be telling me the truth." Nathan said and she looked up at both of them.

"I'm telling the-the truth." She said loudly as she scowled at Nathan.

"I know sweetheart. She's telling the truth, Nathan." Horatio said softly.

"You're absolutely certain? If I move her and she has a neck or back injury, then she could be paralysed." Nathan said and Horatio nodded.

"I'm sure she's telling the truth." Horatio said softly and Nathan gently pulled Horatio's hands from her neck and watched her move her head with ease.

"Okay sweet, we're going to sit up slowly, then we're going to put that top back on, okay?" Nathan asked and she moaned as she placed her hand on one of his thighs and tried to push him away.

"I know you don't want to put it on, but it's necessary, okay?" Nathan asked and she looked over to Horatio as Nathan removed her hand from his thigh.

"You do have to put it on beautiful." Horatio said softly as he gently ran the back of his index finger over her soft cheek.

"No" she shook her head as they sat her up slowly.

"What about if you change into some of your clothes then?" Nathan asked as Horatio began to play with her hair in hope of calming her down.

"No" she said again and Nathan exhaled as he rubbed his forehead as he furrowed his brow. He took a deep breath and then exhaled away his slight frustration.

"Eric, Joe can we have some space please? Eric, take your gun with you." Nathan asked and they nodded at him and then walked out together. Eric could see and hear that Nathan was very displeased with him and only hoped that he didn't mention anything to Horatio about it. "Zoë, you need to wear something sweet, you can't go topless when others are around." Nathan said softly and she just looked at him.

"We're going to sit you on the bed, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded. They got her up and sat on her on the bed where Nathan quickly looked her over visually. "Zoë, please put the top on, I'll get you whatever you want if you put it on?" Nathan said softly as he picked the top up and she shook her head again and then crossed her arms as she looked down at the floor.

"Horatio, please try." Nathan exhaled as he shook his head in frustration as he stepped back from Zoë.

"Zoë, you need to put the top on, beautiful." Horatio said softly as he rubbed her back gently with his left hand as he placed his right on her thigh. "Zoë" he said warmly as he crouched down to look up at her. "Come on beautiful, you can put the top on for me, can't you?" Horatio asked warmly as he placed both of his hands on her thighs and tilted his head at her. She looked at him and pressed her lips together.

"Mmm" she moaned as she began to shake her head as tears formed in her eyes as he looked down more and turned her head away from him.

"Don't cry beautiful, you're okay. How about we go and get you a shower first? Then we can get you changed into your clothes, how about that?" Horatio asked softly and she looked up at him as she took a deep breath. "Does that sound good?" Horatio asked and she nodded at him as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "Come on then sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he gently took her hands. She got off the bed with him, as if she wasn't even upset a few moments ago.

"Thank you" Nathan mouthed to Horatio and he nodded and then walked into the en-suite with Zoë after picking up a towel and some clean clothes for her. Zoë managed to shower almost completely herself and Horatio just mainly supervised. He held her towel out for her when she got out and helped to towel dry her. He then handed her the underwear and she just looked away.

"You need to wear underwear, sweetheart." Horatio sighed and he immediately knew it was going to be a fight to get her to wear the clothes. She shook her head and then looked down at his trousers. "You can't wear your jogging bottoms without underwear, sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he gently rubbed her arm. She pointed to his trousers and then looked up at him. "You can't have my trousers beautiful, you've got some lovely jogging bottoms there, you love these jogging bottoms." Horatio said softly. She whined and then pointed to them again. Horatio exhaled and then rubbed his forehead as he closed his eyes briefly. '_Do I give her my trousers? What do I do?'_ He thought to himself. He opened his eyes again to see her wrapping her arms around herself as she looked down.

"If you wear your underwear, you can have my trousers, but only if your wear your underwear, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then took the pants from him and pulled them up as she dropped the towel from around her. He sighed and then pulled his trousers off and sat her on the loo and then put them on her. He got her to stand and then pulled them up to her waist and they were far too big, he tried to do his belt up as tight as it would go but it wouldn't go small enough. He then pulled the string from the scrubs trousers and put it through the trouser loops and tied it up tightly. He then helped her with her bra and picked up her t-shirt. She stepped back again and shook her head and pointed to his shirt. "Do you want my shirt too?" Horatio asked and she nodded. He took it off and then put it on her and did the buttons up. He sighed as he looked at the oversized clothing on her.

"Thank you" she said softly and Horatio nodded with a small smile as he felt a chill.

"I need to get some more clothes now sweetheart, let's go out." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then looked down. "Come on sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he placed his hand on her arm and tried to get her out but she stood still. Horatio exhaled as he paused and closed his eyes for a moment as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please, Zoë." Horatio asked softly as he delicately ran his hand up and down her back.

"You-you hate me." She whispered as she looked up at him just as she wrapped her arms around herself. He looked into her eyes and saw that she believed what she was saying, he could see her sadness. It put a lump in his throat as his jaw slacked slightly.

"I don't hate you beautiful, I love you, always have and always will." Horatio said softly as he placed his hand on the side of her face and stepped up close to her. He raised his other hand to her face and placed his palms against her cheeks. "I… I don't hate you Zoë, I never could hate you. Don't you ever think that sweetheart." Horatio said warmly as he skimmed his thumbs over her cheeks.

"You're disappointed in-in me though." She said as she tried to look away but he held her head firmly and looked into her eyes as he exhaled and shook his head slowly.

"I'm not disappointed in you sweetheart, I never will be. I am proud of you and I always am. I'm sorry sweetheart, I'm just getting a little bit stressed, that's all. It's nothing to do with you, okay? You haven't stressed me out." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she gave him a small smile as she placed both of her hands on his waist. "Come on sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she followed him out. He stuck his head out the door to make sure that Joe and Eric were not back in the room so he could quickly collect some of his clothes.

"Horatio, where's your clothes?" Nathan questioned and then Zoë walked out in his clothes which hung off her small frame. He raised his eyebrows just as Horatio pulled some trousers and a shirt from the bag.

"She wouldn't dress otherwise." Horatio said softly as Zoë stood by him, playing with the sleeves as she looked down. Horatio very quickly changed and then placed his hand on Zoë's back and walked around to the bed with her.

"Zoë, can you tell me why you're wearing Horatio's clothes?" Nathan asked softly and she shrugged as she got up onto the bed and sat on the edge while Horatio climbed onto his side and made himself comfortable.

"Do you not want to wear your clothes?" Nathan asked and she shrugged again.

"Shall I get Joe and Eric back in?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she shuffled back to sit between Horatio's legs again. Nathan smiled softly as she took hold of Horatio's hands and placed them on her thighs as he walked out. She sat back against Horatio and placed her head on his shoulder as she raised her knees. She turned her head to smile up at him. He smiled back and then placed a light peck on her lips before the door opened again.

Zoë looked over to them and saw a packet of cards in Joe's hand. "Cards" she said as she sat up and looked at the cards.

"Do you want to play?" Joe asked and she nodded as she sat forwards as she took Horatio's hands in hers, making him sit forwards too. "What would you like to play?" Joe asked as he pulled the chair forwards, closer to the bed.

"Go Fish" she said softly and he nodded and then looked to Eric.

"Are you playing Eric? Nathan?" Joe asked and Zoë nodded at them.

"I've got this paperwork to do, but you guys go ahead." Nathan said softly as he gestured to the large file in front of him. Joe then looked over to Eric and Eric nodded before he pulled his chair up closer as Joe began to deal.

"Are you two playing separately or together?" Joe asked Horatio and Zoë.

"Together" Horatio said softly and Joe nodded and then began to deal. Zoë took the cards and held them up for Horatio to see too as he gently pulled her back towards him so he could get a better look. He could feel her back against his chest and stomach, but he didn't feel pain, he felt her comforting warmth as he gently ran his hands up and down her thighs, innocently. He then reached forwards and sorted the cards out in her hands so he had an idea of what they had as Joe and Eric waited for them to sort themselves out. She sat right back against his chest and rested her head against his and then lowered her arms as Horatio rested his chin on her shoulder so he could still see them. She began to giggle as his cheek rubbed against hers. She pulled away and then looked back at him and then dropped the cards and ran her fingers over the side of his cheek just under his side-burns. She giggled again, causing all 3 others to look at them. They saw Horatio's cheerful natural smile as he looked from her eyes, to her mouth, completely forgetting about the others in the room.

"Have I missed a bit?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she giggled a little again as her smile widened because she saw his widen.

"Prickly." She smiled at him, he took a gentle hold of her hand that she had on his face and then kissed her palm before realising that he'd lost himself in her eyes and that they weren't alone.

"Don't forget the cards, sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then sat back as she picked the cards back up. He couldn't help but smile as he placed his hands back on her thighs as she picked up the cards again. He glanced up and saw Joe and Eric smiling, they both thought it was quite cute, especially her giggle. He saw the smile on Nathan's face and knew they'd all witnessed it, he felt his cheeks warm up as he blushed slightly. But he felt quite good about himself as he could see that their happiness was infectious. He hadn't seen the three of them smile quite like it since he'd woke.

Joe waited for Zoë and Horatio to settle before he spoke. "Zoë, do you have any 7's?" Joe asked and she shook her head as she focused on the cards.

"Yes we do, Zoë." Horatio said softly as he pulled the 7 of clubs from the cards she had and then handed it to Joe.

"Thank you." Joe said softly. Eric went after Joe and then it came to Zoë.

"Eric, do you-you have an-any 3's?" Zoë asked and he handed her 2 3's and she smiled as she took them off him.

"Well done." Horatio whispered into her ear as she put them in with their cards. "It's your go again." Horatio reminded softly and she looked back to him and he nodded, reassuring her as he lightly rubbed her thighs. "Why don't you ask Joe if he's got any 3's?" Horatio whispered into her ear and she nodded and then asked him and he handed her his only 3. Horatio then put the four 3's down in the middle. It came to Eric's go again and he asked Zoë for any 5's and she shook her head again, but Horatio pulled the two 5's from the cards and handed them to Eric. He gave them a smile, he didn't question when Zoë would say no as he knew that she was still having problems. Horatio and Zoë won the first two games with Joe winning one and Eric winning one. They could then see that Zoë needed a rest when she began to tick a little so they stopped playing.

"Try and get some rest sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she shook her head and then began to tick a little more as he began to rub her back. "Do you want some water?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded as she placed her hand on his chest. Joe quickly got up and handed her a plastic cup of water. She drank it and then handed the cup back to him with a gentle smile.

"Thank you." She said softly and both Horatio and Joe smiled at her. She turned in Horatio's legs and smiled up at him.

"Can we have a baby?" She asked him as she began to rub his thighs.

"Yes, but not right now sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he gave her a brief, small smile and placed his hands over hers on his thighs to stop her from rubbing.

"Why? I really want a baby-baby with you now." She said as she looked up at him with a frown as she tilted her head.

"I've explained to you sweetheart." Horatio sighed softly.

"Yeah, but I-I-I really want you-your bab-baby-baby now. Please." She asked as she pulled her hands from his grip and placed them back on his thighs.

"Zoë, beautiful, not yet. You need to get better first." He said softly but added a little bit of his firm tone to his voice.

"Mmm" she moaned as she ticked and Horatio knew that she was going to start to play up. He quickly rubbed his face and then ran his hands through his hair. Nathan glanced up and saw Horatio starting to get stressed again.

"I need you to take a deep breath sweetheart. We will have children, just not quite yet." He said softly after he exhaled a long breath to calm himself down.

"I want a baby with-with you now though." She mumbled as she looked down and pursed her lips.

"I know sweetheart, but I'm still hurting from the crash, you are too. You're not fully recovered yet either." Horatio said softly and quietly as he took her hands in his and then ran his lips over her knuckles. She looked up at him and then leant forwards and put her arms around his neck and then sat on his thigh as she took a deep breath and put her head down on his shoulder as he wrapped his around her and began to stroke her back. "I know it's frustrating and hard sweetheart, but we'll be out of here soon and we can do whatever we want then." Horatio said quietly and she nodded as she sat back up and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Can I have a-a kiss?" She asked and Horatio placed a light kiss on her lips. Nathan looked up, trying to assess Zoë. '_She's asking for something.' _He thought to himself.

"Walk?" She asked Horatio as she gave him a content smile and moved her hands to his chest.

"You want to go for a walk?" Horatio asked and she nodded just as he hid a hiss of pain from his chest, but it felt better than it previously had.

"I'm not sure we can, sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he glanced up to Nathan and saw him studying Zoë very closely.

"Mmm" she moaned again as her ticking returned.

"You can go for a very short walk if you need to, but you can't go far. You can go to the waiting room and back, but that's as far as I'm allowing you to go. I do strongly advise against it though as there is lots of staff out there." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded with an appreciative expression.

"I don't think it's wise sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she looked at him, wanting to go. "There's nurses out there." Horatio said and she froze as her facial expression hardened and froze. "Exactly sweetheart, we'll go for walks when we get out of here, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded after she took a deep breath. She then looked down for a few moments while Horatio took a few deep breaths, happy he'd managed to deter her from having an outburst. He then felt her pull at his belt as she ran her hand up his inner thigh. His eyes widened as he gently pulled her hands from him and looked up at her with his face flushing bright red through sheer embarrassment.

"Inappropriate sweetheart." He whispered and she took a deep breath as she pulled her hands from his grip with a guilty expression. She sat back once she had turned around and slowly fell asleep on him as he looked up to Eric, Joe and Nathan, none of them looked like they'd seen what she did.

"H, why's she wearing your clothes?" Eric asked softly once she was fully asleep.

"She's being difficult with dressing and refused to wear anything other than my clothes." Horatio sighed and he nodded, he could see that the subject stressed him out so didn't ask any more questions.

"Eric, you really should go home and get some rest. We're okay here, I feel fine now, it's just Zoë that I'm looking out for now. Thank you for everything though, we really do appreciate it." Horatio said softly and Eric nodded with a gentle smile. Horatio studied Eric's face. '_He looks as tired as I feel.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he studied the dark bags under Eric's eyes.

"Will do H, please give me a call if either of you need anything." Eric said softly as he got up, happy to be able to leave after over a week in the same room.

"We will, thank you. Keep me updated about the case please." Horatio said and Eric nodded and then walked over to shake Horatio's hand.

"Say I said bye when she wakes, please?" Eric asked softly as he placed his hand on her arm and Horatio nodded.

"Thanks H." Eric said softly with a warm smile and then walked out after shaking Joe's and Nathan's hand.

"Joe, I appreciate everything you've done, but you don't have to stay here, I can handle this now. You should also go and get some rest." Horatio said softly when he also saw that Joe was tired.

"Thanks Horatio, but I'd much rather stay if that's okay with you? I mean, I need to see her recover, I need to help her in any way I can. I'm sure you can understand. I thought I'd lost her when Eric said that you had both been in a crash, I don't want to leave her. In all honesty I'm scared to leave her right now." He said and Horatio nodded as he looked down to Zoë and took a light hold of her hand.

"I understand, but you must get some proper rest or you won't be of any help to her." Horatio said and he nodded with a warm smile as he relaxed back in the chair.

"I know, I am trying to rest when I can." He said and Horatio nodded.

"Just as long as you don't exhaust yourself, because I will send you away if you do." Horatio warned and he nodded. Horatio fell asleep while Joe kept himself occupied.

"I've got to do my rounds, I shall be back in a little while." Nathan said quietly and Joe nodded. He returned and found Joe asleep, he got on with some paper work and then fell asleep himself a little later. He woke the next morning and freshened up in the en-suite, waking Joe up in the process. Joe then freshened himself up and came out. Zoë woke and slowly sat up, she didn't disturb Horatio. She looked over to Joe and then to Nathan.

"Hey sweet, how are you feeling?" Nathan asked softly and she gave him a nod. He got up and walked over to her and then sat on the edge of the bed with a warm smile as he tilted his head. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Nathan asked softly and she shook her head. She leant forwards and placed her hand on his thigh.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Nathan quickly realised that she only placed her hand on his thigh innocently when she pulled the stethoscope from his neck with her other hand. She sat back between Horatio's legs and he stirred a little but he didn't wake. She bit her lip gently as she looked up at Nathan with a small smile.

"Shall we listen to your chest?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she put the ear pieces in and then put it against her chest as she looked up at him. "It's probably better if you undo a couple of buttons?" Nathan asked and she nodded. She undid a couple of buttons and then took the diaphragm and pulled at her shirt lightly. He gently guided her hand by her arm into the correct spot and placed the diaphragm against her chest and then watched a smile form on her face. Joe smiled as he could see she was entertained by it. '_Then again, she's always entertained with a stethoscope, even when well. I remember her when she was 19 and trying to listen to Abby's heartbeat but Abby wouldn't stay still. That poor dog… but it was one of the funniest things to watch.'_ Joe thought to himself as he relived the happy memory.

"Can you hear your heart?" Nathan asked and she nodded and then pulled the ear pieces out and handed them to Nathan as she held the diaphragm in the same place. He quickly listened to her chest and then handed her the stethoscope back as he was happy with the sounds. She leant up on her knees towards Nathan and placed it against his chest after putting the ear pieces in her ears. She then pulled at his shirt a little. "Do you want me to unbutton some buttons?" He asked and she nodded as she sat back and watched him undo some buttons for her. He then guided her hand over to his chest and smiled at her as her eyes concentrated on her hand and his chest. He could see the glimmer in her eyes and could see that she was very well entertained.

"It sounds funny." She said as she looked up at him and bit her lip.

He moved her hand into a more central position on his chest. "Does that sound better?" He asked and she nodded with a smile. She then turned to Horatio and reached out to pull at his shirt but Nathan quickly and delicately took hold of her hand and turned her back to face him. "Horatio's sleeping at the moment sweet, perhaps we can listen to his heart later?" Nathan asked softly and she nodded as she handed him the stethoscope back with a happy smile.

"Snap" she said to him and he looked up at her while he did his buttons up.

"Snap as in we're wearing similar shirts or you want to play snap?" Nathan asked softly as Joe began to text again.

"Second." She said as Nathan reached over and did the buttons up on the shirt she was wearing and Nathan nodded at her. Joe quickly handed him the deck of cards. He moved to sit on the end of the bed a little more comfortably and then dealt the cards out. He played with her, letting her win a few times as he could see that her reaction time had slowed again. During their game, Horatio had woke and sat up. He watched them play, happy to see Zoë enjoying herself and happy that Nathan was doing such a good job at entertaining her, allowing him to get some much needed rest. Zoë glanced round and he could see the brilliant smile on her face, it made him feel incredible. She dropped the cards and quickly turned to him and gave him an affectionate hug as she moved over to him. Nathan quickly picked up the cards and put them back in their pack as he knew there was no way he was going to get her attention back on them now Horatio was awake.

"Horatio, can I give you one more check over, I should be able to officially discharge you. Is that okay?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded at him as Zoë pulled back again and turned to look at Nathan with a worried expression. Nathan saw her worry and so changed his expression to a confident, peaceful expression, trying to reassure her. "Zoë, could you please give Horatio some space so I can look at him?" Nathan asked and she looked back to Horatio as she furrowed her brow.

"It's okay sweetheart, he's not going to hurt me." Horatio assured her as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and she nodded and then got off as Nathan pulled the wires from her head. She got off and walked over to Joe as he stood with his hand open, he could see that she needed some comfort and reassurance. She took hold of his hand and then lightly hugged him.

"Just try and keep her entertained for a few moments please." Nathan said quietly and Joe nodded as she pulled away from the hug and looked over to Horatio. He gave her a reassuring smile as Joe placed his other hand on her back as he gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"Shall we go over to the window?" He asked and she nodded and then walked over with him. Horatio glanced over to them a few times and saw Joe talking to Zoë as they looked out the window but he couldn't hear what he was saying. Both Nathan and Horatio looked over when they heard Zoë giggling. Both looked back to what Nathan was doing with smiles on their faces. '_I do love her giggle, I think it could brighten up anyone's day.'_ Horatio thought to himself before he hissed in pain when Nathan pressed on a tender spot and then watched Zoë turn and saw the look of horror cross her face. Horatio grimaced when Nathan pressed on the same spot and he saw something ignite in her eyes when she let go of Joe's hand.

"Don't worry Zoë, I'm fine." Horatio assured her when she looked at him and then to Nathan. Horatio saw her eyes narrow on Nathan's hands. Nathan pressed on another tender spot and Horatio hissed again as he looked back to Nathan. "Yes, that hurts." Horatio said firmly before he glanced back round to Zoë to find her charging towards them. She jumped over the bed and pushed Nathan to the floor.

"Zoë!" Both Joe and Horatio said frantically as she pinned him to the floor as he tried to take hold of her wrists so she couldn't strangle him which is what she was trying to do.

"He didn't intentionally hurt me sweetheart. He's okay, he's doing his job." Horatio said panicked as he got up off the bed. Zoë moved one of her hands to his throat as she pushed his hand away as he looked up at her. He remained calm as he knew if he fought frantically against her, she'd do him more damage. "Zoë, let go of him beautiful. He's okay, he didn't hurt me, I'm okay, see?" Horatio asked and she looked up at him with searching eyes. He watched her eyes scan his body before she looked back down to Nathan as she moved to sit on his stomach rather than his hips. Horatio pulled her hands from Nathan's chest and throat and then pulled her up as Joe helped Nathan up. Nathan exhaled a held breath as he brushed himself down as he completely relaxed himself.

"I-I-I thought he was hurting you. Mum… she… you. I thought–" She said as she looked up at him while Horatio kept his arms around her and held her against him.

"I know sweetheart, it's okay. I'm fine, he wasn't hurting me, I'm just a little sore, that's all. You know Nathan would never hurt us." Horatio said softly before he kissed the top of her head and then began to play with her hair. He rubbed his cheek against the left side of her head as he briefly closed his eyes and let his heart rate calm down considerably. He swallowed and then opened his eyes to see Nathan sorting his shirt out. "I'm sorry Nathan, she didn't mean that." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded at him with a gentle, understanding nod.

"I'm sor-sorry Nathan." She said as she pulled from Horatio's hold and turned to Nathan as she looked at his shirt, concentrating on that rather than making eye contact.

"Don't worry about it sweet, you didn't hurt me." He said softly and she stepped forwards as she reached out to him as she looked up at him. He lightly pulled her in to hug her and gently embraced her. "Do you want to talk about what just happened?" Nathan asked softly when they pulled from the hug and she shook her head frantically as she looked down. She quickly turned and moved to stand in front of Horatio as she looked back down at Nathan's shirt and tie.

"Ho-Horatio knows, but only Horatio. I don't-don't… I don't want to say." She said as she began to tick again as Horatio placed his hands on her shoulders.

"It's okay sweet, you don't have to explain." Nathan said as he rubbed her upper arm after moving closer to her. She wrapped her arms around herself and then turned to look up at Horatio.

"Only you know, secret." She said and Horatio nodded with a gentle smile as he placed his right hand against her left cheek.

"I know sweetheart, I'm not going to say anything, don't worry." Horatio whispered softly and she nodded and then hugged him again and listened to his rhythmic heartbeat as she closed her eyes and took in his scent.

"Is it okay if I finish the check-up, or is that not a good idea?" Nathan asked Horatio softly as he put his hands in his pockets and tilted his head.

"It'll be fine as long as you tell her what you're doing and try not to press too hard on my chest or stomach because she will flip at you again. Also don't put your hands near my throat because she will react." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded. "Nathan needs to look at me again sweetheart, okay?" Horatio asked softly but she let out a moan as she shook her head and then looked up at him. "You can sit on the bed with me?" He asked and her facial expression softened. She then climbed back on the bed but sat at the end while Horatio got up and laid down. Nathan told Zoë what he was doing to Horatio and she seemed fine as she watched Nathan's hands intensely as well as studying Horatio's face.

"That's it, you're free to leave whenever you want, but I know you'll be staying here." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you for everything Nathan." Horatio said softly as Zoë crawled up the bed and into his lap again once Nathan had taken a step back. Horatio wrapped his arms around Zoë and then linked his fingers together in her lap.

"No problem Horatio, do you two want anything?" Nathan asked and Zoë nodded as she placed her hands over Horatio's as she sat forwards.

"Can-ca-can-can I–" Zoë began and then paused when she couldn't get the words out. She exhaled forcefully, getting slightly frustrated as Nathan reached over and placed his hand on her upper arm and Nathan encouraged her to go on. She looked up at him and saw his calm face, which caused her to calm slightly herself. "Can-can I have a-a-a cup of tea, please?" She asked and a brilliant smile appeared across Nathan's face.

"Really well done Zoë. Of course, I'll be back with that in a moment. Horatio, Joe, do you guys want anything?" Nathan asked as he placed his hand on her forearm with a beaming smile. Her smile grew as she looked up at his ecstatic facial expression.

"Coffee please." They both said and Nathan nodded and then walked out, continuously smiling.

"Well done Zoë, you're doing so well. I'm so proud of you beautiful." Horatio praised as he rubbed her side just as she turned around in his lap and smiled up at him. "I'm so proud of you." Horatio repeated with a brilliant smile of his own as he placed his hands on her waist.

"Improvement?" She asked and he nodded as she sat on his hips and straddled him more closely as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"A big improvement, well done Zoë." He smiled at her as he rubbed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. His eyes fell to the jubilant smile on her face and studied her perfect teeth. He then watched her tilt her head as she looked back to his eyes from his wide smile.

"When-when will I speak properly ag-again?" She asked Horatio sweetly.

"I'm not too sure beautiful, but your sentences are getting longer and better." Horatio said softly and she smiled at him again. Horatio glanced over to Joe to see him in deep thought as he sat on the seat beside the bed. Joe glanced up at him when he felt Horatio looking at him. He then looked to Zoë from Horatio just as Zoë turned her head to look at him.

"Zoë, why did you push Nathan away from Horatio?" Joe asked softly and she began to shake her head as her smile immediately disappeared as she took two fistfuls of Horatio's shirt.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's okay darling. I was just curious." Joe said softly as he gave her a small smile. She looked back to Horatio and then swallowed as she looked down at his shirt. Horatio could see Zoë reliving the memories as she'd subconsciously placed her left hand over the scar on her ribcage.

"Does Joe not know?" Horatio asked and she shook her head as she focused on his shirt buttons.

She looked back up at him and took a deep breath as she removed her hand from her ribcage and placed both of her hands over his chest. She felt the gentle beat of his heart as she took a few deep breaths to keep herself calm. Horatio didn't speak, he knew she was calming herself down so allowed her to do whatever she wanted. "I've only to-told you. It hur-hurts too much t-to talk about it. It makes me scared again." She said as she tilted her head and Horatio nodded in understanding. He reached up and quickly swiped the tear from the corner of her right eye away. She took a few deep breaths and calmed herself as she removed her hands from his chest and let them sit in their laps.

"Doesn't Nathan have patients to see?" Joe asked softly, knowing he'd upset Zoë so wanted to change the subject.

"Sunday is his day off." Horatio said softly as he looked up at the clock and Joe nodded. Horatio looked back to Zoë when she began to rub her forehead again.

He took a gentle hold of her hand and pulled it away from her forehead. "Try not to rub your forehead again sweetheart, you have a skull fracture." Horatio said softly and she moved forwards to sit as close to Horatio as she could. She leant forwards and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Are you okay Zoë?" Horatio asked and she nodded against his shoulder as he started to rub her back. There was a short pause between them all for a moment while Horatio looked over to Joe as Joe glanced to him before looking at Zoë. Joe gave Horatio a quick nod to tell him that Zoë was okay as she faced him and looked at the other bed.

"Where's Kaitlin?" Zoë asked as her eyes moved over to Joe as he studied her placid facial expression while Horatio felt her gentle breathing as he slowly ran his fingertips up and down her spine.

"She's at a hotel darling." Joe said softly and Zoë exhaled as she looked back to the unused bed while she mildly frowned.

"She doesn't want to-to see me?" Zoë asked and Joe quickly stood up and placed his hand on her shoulder as he shook his head. He looked at her with soft eyes as he crouched slightly to bring his head to her level to look into her eyes as she continued to rest her head on Horatio's shoulder. He delicately pulled a strand of hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear.

"It's not that she doesn't want to see you, Bunny. You're unwell, you know Kaitlin doesn't like to see you unwell." Joe said softly as his eyes skipped from her right to her left and back, looking deeply into them. Zoë lifted her head as her frown developed a little more. She placed a hand on one of Horatio's shoulders as she looked up at Joe just as he stood back up and looked down at her warmly.

"So-so you are-are saying that she doesn't wa-want to see me?" Zoë asked and Joe exhaled as he rubbed his brow quickly and then took a deep breath. He then reached out and placed his hand lightly on her shoulder as she continued to look into his eyes, awaiting his response.

"She will come and see you soon though." Joe assured her as he rubbed her shoulder with a delicate smile as his eyes briefly skipped from her to Horatio and back.

"Jess?" Zoë asked simply.

"Jess will come with Kaitlin." Joe said softly and then watched Zoë scowl.

"Sh-she's a bitch" Zoë said as she sat up straight.

"She's not a bitch, Zoë." Joe said softly with a gentle smile.

"She's a whore." Zoë said as she looked up at him with a mean scowl.

"She's your friend, Zoë, you don't say things like that about your friends." Joe said softly as he exhaled and ran his other hand through her hair. Zoë looked round to Horatio briefly before looking back to Joe.

"Kaitlin… she-she's hurting Kaitlin." Zoë said as she looked up at Joe and removed her hand from Horatio's shoulder.

"She's not hurting Kaitlin, Bunny, Jess would never do that. You know that." Joe assured Zoë.

"She's hurting Kaitlin!" Zoë raised her voice, causing Horatio to sit forwards and rub her back in an effort to calm her. "Get her away from Kaitlin. She's a-a bitch, a bitchy whore. Don't-don't leave Kaitlin with her." Zoë said loudly and Horatio tried to calm her by rubbing her back a little more forcefully as he placed his other hand over her thigh. He could see Zoë becoming very frustrated.

"I don't know what you're talking about Bunny, we've all been friends since Grammar, Jess won't hurt any of us." Joe tried assuring her as he crouched slightly again to bring his head level with hers.

"Get Kaitlin, I don't want Jess here. She-she wants to sleep with James." Zoë said as she began to get more frustrated as she took two fists of the blanket and looked at Joe dangerously.

"Zoë, I don't know where you're getting this from." Joe said as he shook his head as he stood back up and crossed his arms.

"Get Kaitlin!" Zoë raised her voice again as she glared at him. '_She just wants to see Kaitlin, she's making it up to get me to bring her over here.'_ Joe thought to himself as he rubbed his brow again and tried to keep a gentle expression.

"Do you want to see Kaitlin?" Joe asked softly.

"No… yes… but I-I-I under-understand. Take her to ours. Don't let J-Jess hurt her anymore." Zoë ordered.

"Zoë, you need some rest darling." Joe said softly as she stifled a yawn to keep her glare just as fierce.

"She's hurting Kaitlin!" Zoë said as she began to stand up on the bed, growing more distressed.

"Zoë, don't stand sweetheart." Horatio said as he pulled her back to him and put his arms around her waist, holding her back against him. She kicked the blanket to the end of the bed as she pulled at her hair. "Joe, just go and see Kaitlin, if she wants, she can stay at ours, you're welcome to get yourself a shower and some food, or maybe even some decent rest. But please, do something because Zoë's agitated and she's usually right in her claims." Horatio said softly. Joe exhaled and then nodded and watched Horatio ease her hands from her hair. "Take a deep breath sweetheart, you're okay." Horatio whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms back around her waist.

"Okay, I'll go and see Kaitlin." Joe said, giving in to her and she looked over to him with a gentle expression forming. "I'll be back a little later, okay?" Joe said softly and she nodded as she placed her hands back over Horatio's.

"Thank you." Zoë said and Joe nodded with a small smile. He quickly gave her forehead a light kiss and then left with his case. Zoë sat back and relaxed against Horatio and raised her knees up as she began to play with Horatio's hands and fingers.

"What's making you think that Jess is hurting Kaitlin?" Horatio asked softly as he pulled her shirt up and began to stroke her stomach once she finished playing with his hands.

"I don't know, I just feel it." Zoë shrugged as Horatio flicked the TV on and then went back to running his hands over her skin.

"What about her trying to sleep with Kaitlin's boyfriend?" Horatio asked and she shrugged again as she looked up at the TV.

"I saw it when I was sleeping. She-she tries to flirt with him when we're at Kaitlin's, but he doesn't give her any attention, Kate's blind to it. She's always been like it with our boyfriends. I-I am only really fr-friends with her because Joe and Kaitlin are… I-I don't particularly like her too much anymore, she gives me a bad-bad-bad feeling." Zoë admitted and Horatio nodded with a sigh, hoping that she was wrong, but something was telling him that she wasn't.

Joe had got himself into a taxi and was heading towards the hotel. He arrived and paid the driver and then found their room. He knocked and Kaitlin answered with tears falling from her cheeks. She threw her arms around Joe immediately and pulled him inside the room.

"Kate, what's wrong?" Joe questioned and she then kicked the door closed. He wrapped his arms around her and then kissed the top of her head.

"Jess said that you called and said that Zoë would never get better, she said that you said Zoë didn't want to see me ever again and that we may as well go back to New York. She said that Zoë will probably die and that she doesn't want me at her funeral, is this true? Zoë wouldn't say that, would she?!" Kaitlin cried as Jess quietly walked through to the living area in their suite where Joe and Kaitlin were standing. Joe exhaled and closed his eyes as he kissed the top of her head again. '_Zoë was right, she was right all along.'_ Joe thought to himself.

"What? I've not spoken to Jess at all, I've not said anything of the sort. Zoë's sent me here to make sure you're okay. She's asking about you, she wants to see you Kaitlin." Joe said as he rubbed her back and Jess approached. Joe looked up and saw Jess looking guilty as she crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lip. She saw Joe's facial expression turn dark.

"What have you been saying to her? I've not spoken to you!" Joe raised his voice.

"I'm sorry, but she's not going to recover is she? People with head injuries like hers don't recover. I was just telling her the truth. You're giving her false hope, Joe." Jess said quietly.

"Zoë said that you were hurting Kaitlin! She was right as well! Zoë is not dying and she's made more improvement today! How dare you stir things up and talk about Zoë like that, after all she's done for you as well! She's unwell, she's not dying!" Joe raised his voice at Jess and she stepped back as Joe released Kaitlin and glared at Jess. "Give me your phone." Joe asked firmly as he held his hand out. "Give me your phone, Jessica." Joe asked firmly again and she handed it to him, reluctantly. He went through her messages and scowled with disgust. "She was right about that too! Why?! He clearly isn't interested! It looks like Zoë has more intelligence than you and she's had a brain injury! Get out of Miami now, I do not want to see you here, Zoë doesn't either, if you say anything about Zoë ever again, I will find you and I will not regret my actions. Don't you dare contact Kaitlin or James ever again, if I find out you have, I will have you arrested. Zoë's very close with her colleagues and they're all a highly intelligent bunch, they will find something to arrest you for." Joe warned her as he threw her phone back at her. She swallowed as she looked at Joe with sad eyes as tears began to collect in her eyes.

"Kaitlin, get your things, we're going back to Zoë's." Joe said as he turned to her as she stood there in tears.

"What's going on?" Kaitlin asked as she shook her head as Joe stepped forwards and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'll explain on the way, we're going to be staying at Zoë's though." Joe said as he walked into her room and picked up her suitcase. She quickly followed him in and collected a few things and then walked out with him. She didn't even exchange a look with Jess while Jess continued to stand in the middle of the living area.

"Give me your key, or you can pay for this room." Joe said to Jess as they walked out and she handed him her key and then left just after them. '_I've really gone and stepped in it now. Why did I go too far? I knew I couldn't have James, I knew I couldn't have him._' She thought to herself. Joe handed the key cards in and paid for the room that they had occupied and then left with Kaitlin. They drove over to Zoë's.

"Please explain what has just happened?" Kaitlin asked as she looked at him with watery eyes. Joe nodded and then exhaled. '_I should have believed Zoë, I know her gut instinct is usually right.'_ He thought to himself, feeling bad about stressing her out over something she was right about.

"Zoë started to get frustrated and insisted that I leave her and check on you, for some reason she thought Jess was hurting you. She also said that Jess was trying to sleep with James, she was right; I just checked Jess's messages and she's been messaging James, but James hasn't replied other than to ask her to stop with the texting. It seems as though the texting has only started since we came down here, so how Zoë knew I have no idea. She doesn't hate you, she wants to see you, but understands if you want some time. She's doing well, so there's no need to worry about her. She's still having a few difficulties but she's getting there. Whatever Jess has told you is likely to be a lie, okay? Don't listen to her." Joe said as they drove the hire car over to Zoë's after stopping off at the shop to collect a few items. Kaitlin nodded, silently, highly upset to find that her long-term friend had betrayed her so. "Zoe's insisting that we stay at hers, so make yourself at home. I'm going to go back to the hospital to tell her that she was right. I'm sorry that you had to find out all of this like this." Joe said as they got out at Zoë's house. Kaitlin remained silent and walked in with Joe. "She's going to be okay Kate. This has just proved it, you know that Zoë's gut instincts are usually correct, it just shows us that she's coming back to us, even if it is slowly." Joe said softly and Kaitlin nodded and then hugged Joe as she tried to keep herself composed.

"Give her a kiss and a hug from me please? I want to come over to see her soon, but I can't just yet. I need to call James as well." Kaitlin said softly and Joe nodded.

"Okay, if you need anything, give me a ring, okay? Also, make yourself at home, you know what Zoë's like with company. I'd use one of the spares, not her room though." Joe said softly and she nodded.

"I wasn't going to use her room." Kaitlin smiled with a small giggle.

"I know what you two are like, you used to sneak into each other's beds all the time, especially when the other wasn't there." Joe smiled as he crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, but it's not just Zoë's bed anymore, is it? It's Horatio's too and I'm not sure he'd like to come home to find that Zoë's crazy friend has been sleeping in their bed. It's because we're freaks and have a crazy, freaky relationship… not to mention downright weird." Kaitlin smiled up at him.

"I was just going to point out that it's weird." Joe smiled back at her and she playfully slapped his arm.

"You'll get back to that weird relationship soon, I know you will. She's on her way back to us. Don't wear any of her clothes either, she'll know." Joe warned with a grin.

"Damn it." Kaitlin said with a grin of her own and Joe quickly hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"If Jess comes over, don't let her in. Zoë won't want her in the house. Give me a call if she does turn up." Joe said softly and Kaitlin nodded as they stepped back from each other.

"Don't go out the back, you won't be able to get back in; there's no key for the back door, okay?" Joe said and she nodded.

"Okay, okay." She smiled at Joe and he eventually left. He returned back to the hospital to find Horatio and Nathan talking casually as Zoë slept.

"Is everything okay?" Horatio asked as Joe entered with his hands in his pockets. Joe exhaled and then ran both hands through his hair as he sat down in the seat beside the bed and looked over to Zoë before looking to Horatio.

"She was right, Kaitlin is at yours now, and Jess should be leaving. How she knew that, I do not know…" Joe said as he placed his left hand on his thigh and then rubbed his brow with his right just as Zoë woke.

"Sorry Bunny" he said as she looked round to him and then sat up once she realised he was back.

"How's Kaitlin?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes and gave him her complete attention. Joe explained everything to her and she nodded, looking sad, she hated that Kaitlin and Joe had fallen out with Jess as she knew they were good friends.

"How did you know any of that? Jess had only been trying it on with James since we came down here and you were completely out of it back then." Joe said softly as he leant forwards and looked up at her, intrigued.

"I saw it in a dream, I've always had my-my doubts about her though. You know that-that I'm not as close with her as I am with Ka-Kaitlin." Zoë said softly and Joe nodded as he stood up. He gave her a gentle smile as he gently swept the back of his knuckles over her cheek.

"Well done darling, you did well, I'm proud of you. Jess won't be stirring things up anymore. Kaitlin also sends her love and said to give you a hug and a kiss from her, is that alright?" Joe asked and she nodded and then reached up for him. She hugged him and kissed his cheek as he kissed hers.

"The only dif-difference is that she doesn't have stubble." Zoë smiled as he sat back down and Joe nodded and laughed.

"I will shave soon, you don't need to remind me." Joe smiled brilliantly at her.

"Can I see her soon?" Zoë questioned as she crossed her legs and tilted her head at Joe.

"She'll come and see you soon, Zoë." Joe said softly and Zoë nodded and then looked back to Horatio. She exhaled and looked down to his thighs, she looked up and back around when she heard Nathan get up.

"Do you want something to eat?" Nathan asked Zoë and Horatio as he leant on the end of the bed.

"Please" Zoë replied with a gentle smile.

"What would you like?" He asked sweetly.

"Can you g-get salad?" Zoë asked and Nathan nodded.

"What sort of salad?" Nathan asked softly as he stood up straight.

"Any-anything-anything that doesn't have onions in, please." She said softly and Nathan nodded.

"I'll bring it right up for you sweet. Horatio, would you like anything?" Nathan asked softly as he looked over to Horatio.

"Could you please get me the same as whatever you get Zoë?" Horatio asked and Nathan nodded.

"I'll come and help you with it all." Joe said as he got up and Nathan nodded and then walked out with him.

"Can I kiss you now?" Zoë asked as she turned back to Horatio.

"You can kiss me whenever you like, but only light kisses when others are around. No tongues involved in front of others, remember?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then leant over to him. She lightly placed her lips against his and kissed him as she closed her eyes. He kissed her back as she moved to straddle his hips as she placed both hands on either side of his neck while his hands rested at her waist.

"Mmm" she moaned contently when she felt Horatio's tongue move against hers. She moved her head and began to kiss at the corner of his lips as she ran her hands through his hair. He moved his head as he knew she was going to start kissing his neck. He placed his lips against hers again and deepened the kiss as their breathing accelerated. "Can we-we have sex now please?" She asked softly as she pulled back and looked into his eyes. She moved her hands back to the sides of his neck and glanced down to his moist lips before looking back into his eyes.

"No sweetheart, you've still got a bad head." Horatio said softly as he looked into her coy brown eyes. She just exhaled and then kissed him deeply again. She lightly ran her hands over his chest and then lifted one of his hands and placed it over one of her breasts. She felt him pull his hand away but resisted against him.

"Please squeeze or something, I-I need to feel you." She begged him and he began to massage her breast when he could no longer resist. They lost themselves and before they knew it, Nathan was knocking on the door.

"Come in." Horatio said once he had managed to get Zoë off him and under control, as well as himself under control in his trousers. Nathan walked in with their meals, as well as something for himself.

"You both okay?" Nathan asked and they nodded. Zoë turned back to Horatio and pulled at his trousers as she looked down at them.

"Zoë, that's inappropriate sweetheart. Not now." Horatio said quietly as he pulled her hands up and held them gently as he leant in close to her. Neither Joe or Nathan gave it any attention as Zoë looked back up to Horatio with a mild frown.

"Here you go sweet." Nathan said softly as he handed her the chicken salad. She gave him a sweet smile as he handed the same to Horatio.

"Are these forks clean?" Zoë questioned when he handed her a fork and he chuckled a little.

"Yes sweet, they're clean." Nathan assured her and she looked round to Horatio for his reassurance and he nodded at her with a smile. She then held her fork out to him and he took it and handed his to her as he knew she wanted his. Nathan handed them both a bottle of water and sat down. They opened the salad as Zoë sat opposite Horatio with her knees resting on his shins. He handed her his salad when she wanted to swap again.

"Zoë, it's the same salad." Nathan said with a smile and she looked round to him and shrugged. They finished their food and Zoë got up and walked over to the en-suite, quietly.

"Do you want a hand or are you alright?" Horatio asked and she stopped by the door and looked over to him with a gentle expression and watched him slowly get off the bed, assuming she wanted him to go with her.

"I'm go-good." She said softly and Horatio nodded and sat back down with a smile. She walked in and then closed the door.

"If she keeps improving like this, how long do you think until I can take her home?" Horatio asked softly as he looked over to Nathan and sat back on the bed.

"A couple of days? I'm happy to let her leave when the pressure has gone down and when she's able to do the basic things for herself, like shower, dress and go to the loo herself." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he kept an ear out for Zoë in the bathroom.

"Well, I didn't really help her with the showering yesterday at all, she did it all herself. She's going to the loo now on her own." Horatio said softly, hoping to persuade Nathan to let her go sooner.

"I know you want to get her home, but I don't want to send her home when she's so dependent on you, it'll cause you stress. I can see you getting stressed when here, and that's when I'm on hand to help as well. You'll have to deal with her on your own when you take her home and I'm not sure you can handle that at the moment. She'll be out within a couple of days, don't worry." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he exhaled. Zoë walked back out with a happy smile.

"Did you wash your hands?" Horatio asked softly as she walked over to him.

"Of course, 3 sq-squirts of soap like usual." She said as she got back up on the bed as he nodded at her.

"Well done sweetheart." Horatio said softly as Zoë sat between his legs and looked in the direction of the TV as Nathan got up and walked over to them.

"I just want to put the wires back on your head, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she placed one of her hands on Horatio's knee. He attached them as she looked up to the TV and changed the channel to news. Nathan sat back down and crossed his legs with a smile as he looked up to the news. Joe smiled as he sat back, happy to see her watching the news rather than cartoons. Zoë glanced back round to Horatio when she felt him place his hands on her back as he began to massage her back.

"The number has gone down, c-can we have sex now?" Zoë questioned Horatio when she looked at the monitors. Horatio flushed bright red again as he swallowed and then exhaled. She turned around in his lap and studied his embarrassed facial expression.

"No sweetheart. We'll talk about that in private, okay?" Horatio said softly and she exhaled as she began to play with her fingers.

"But please? I'm getting tired of-of not being able to touch you." She exhaled and Horatio flushed a brighter shade of red before he glanced over to Nathan.

"Let's go and get a coffee Joe." Nathan said as he got up and looked at Joe. "Zoë, I'm going to start you on some more pills later, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she glanced round to him and then looked back to Horatio. They walked out and Zoë moved closer to him again as he exhaled and shook his head. '_She's going to be difficult again.'_ Horatio thought to himself as his stress levels began to elevate immediately. '_It's not her fault though, you can't blame her.'_ He thought to himself.

"Just a quicky, it's been ages since w-we last made love." She said as she placed her hand on his crotch. His jaw tensed slightly as he tried to resist.

"Zoë, no sweetheart. Not here, not now." Horatio insisted as he pulled her hand from his crotch.

"Why though?" She asked as she pulled her hands from his grip with a mild scowl.

"Because you're not well Zoë, I'm not going to take advantage of you. We'll get intimate when you're better. I don't want to hurt you either, I'm still hurting myself." Horatio said warmly and saw her face flush red as her jaw tightened. "I know you're getting frustrated sweetheart, I know it's frustrating. I'm really sorry, but I'm not doing that to you." Horatio sighed as he ran a hand through his hair as he looked into her eyes with a pleading expression.

"You won't be taking advantage of me, I want to-to have sex with you, I love you Horatio, I want to show you that love." She pleaded him as she moved closer and looked into his eyes, deeply.

"I know you love me sweetheart, and I love you too, but we don't have to have sex to show each other our love, there are other ways too. I don't want to do anything until I'm sure that you're better. Remember what Ryan did? I don't want that to happen, I need to know that you're well enough to consent, Zoë." Horatio said softly as he rubbed her thigh delicately.

"I'm consenting, I should be your bloody wife ri-right now, I shouldn't need to give you informed consent for se-sex with you." She mumbled as she looked at him, feeling rejected.

"Zoë, please try and understand it from my point of view, I don't want to hurt you, I don't want to push you and I don't particularly want to have sex in this bed, I'm also really hurting. It's dangerous to do something like that when you've got pressure in your head." Horatio said tenderly and she got up off the bed and stood beside as she glared at him.

"How many ti-times do I have to say that I'm well." Zoë said as she pulled at the strings Horatio had used to hold his trousers up on her.

"Zoë, if you were well you wouldn't be trying to take those trousers off sweetheart." Horatio said calmly as he started to get up off the bed to stop her, but she quickly pushed the trousers down and then jumped back up and straddled him, pushing him back to the bed gently.

"You want it to, I know you do." She said as she began to kiss at the corner of his mouth just as he placed his hands on her waist.

"I know Zoë, but not here, not now. When we're home at least." Horatio said as he tried to push away but she resisted. She pulled her underwear off and dropped them onto the bed and then grinned at him.

"All-all you got to d-do is put him in there Horatio." She said as she looked at him and then looked down at his crotch. Horatio removed a hand from her waist and placed his fingertips under her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes with a sincere expression.

"Zoë, I said no, that's final. No means No. You're not thinking clearly, I can tell that from the way you're acting right now. Put those trousers and underwear back on and we'll talk about this okay?" Horatio asked firmly, but gently so he didn't upset her. She rubbed her forehead and he saw her tense as she pulled her chin from his hand.

"Argh, you're so-so frustrating!" She raised her voice as she got up and off him and picked up the trousers and stalked into the en-suite with her fists clenched.

"Zoë, your underwear." Horatio said as he started to get up and off the bed slowly with her underwear in his hand.

"Fu-fuck-fuck off!" She shouted and then slammed the bathroom door. Horatio sat back and then rubbed his face with his hands after dropping her underwear to the bed. '_What do I do? Is she overreacting or was I overreacting and being too careful?'_ Horatio questioned himself, confused.

"What's going on? One of the nurses got me." Nathan asked as he walked in.

"I think I've upset her, I don't know." Horatio said as he exhaled and shook his head as he rubbed his brow. Nathan could see that Horatio was highly stressed and confused.

"It's probably not your fault, she's probably having another outburst, don't worry about it Horatio. Take some deep breaths." Nathan said softly as he walked over to the door and knocked.

"Go away." Zoë shouted and Nathan exhaled.

"Zoë, it's Nathan, may I come in?" He asked loudly as he leant against the door.

"Fuck off" she shouted and he quickly backed away with a sigh.

"Don't let Joe in for a moment." Horatio said and Nathan nodded as he crossed his arms.

"Don't worry, I've already told him to wait there as the nurse said that she heard Zoë shout." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded. "Are you okay?" Nathan asked softly and Horatio nodded.

"Just a little confused and stressed." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded in understanding.

"Zoë, come out of there please." Nathan said loudly as he strolled back over to the door. "Zoë, I mean it, you need to come out of there." Nathan said firmly when she didn't answer him and she opened the door and glared at him.

"What?" She questioned forcefully as she crossed her arms and stood strong. He could see the burning fire in her eyes and knew it was going to be a stressful situation for the both of them.

"Just go and sit on that bed please." Nathan asked and she stormed out and past him. She glared at Horatio and then sat on her bed and faced the window, with her back to him. She crossed her arms again and looked down at the floor. "Zoë, you need to try and calm down sweet." Nathan said softly as he slowly approached her.

"You c-calm down and shut your mo-mouth or I'll put you through that window!" She shouted at him as she looked up at him and he could see the rage she was experiencing.

"Zoë-Mae!" Horatio scolded as he sat up straight, shocked.

"Fuck off" she shouted at Horatio as she turned and scowled at him with ice cold eyes. She eventually turned back to look out of the window one she was done glaring at him.

"Zoë, I understand your frustration right now, but you need to take a few deep breaths okay. I've just got to check Horatio over for a second okay." Nathan said as he walked over to Horatio.

"I'm fine." Horatio said as he looked up at Nathan from watching Zoë.

"No you're not, you're in pain." Nathan said as he pulled Horatio back gently and laid him down.

"Look, I am the least of our worries right now." Horatio said quietly as he sat back up and looked over to Zoë who was still fuming as she sat on the edge of the other bed.

"She'll be fine, she'll calm down in a minute." Nathan said softly as he pulled Horatio back and laid him down. He placed his hand on Horatio's shoulder so he couldn't sit back up.

"What's hurting you?" Nathan asked as his eyes scanned Horatio's face and body looking for the tell-tale signs of pain.

"I'm fine, I'm just stressed." Horatio said firmly as he looked up at Nathan. '_Not both of them please.'_ Nathan begged himself when he saw Horatio becoming more frustrated and thought that he was also going to experience an outburst.

"Horatio." Nathan said firmly as he raised his eyebrows and looked down at him sternly.

"It's just my chest, Zoe keeps touching it, I don't mind when she touches my chest at all, it doesn't particularly hurt when she does but it seems to hurt a little more after she's touched it. Now my head is throbbing badly." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded as he pressed his lips together and began to undo his shirt buttons.

"Has Zoë pushed you? Has she hit your chest?" Nathan whispered as he looked Horatio in the eye.

"No, not at all. I think I tried to get up too quickly." Horatio said softly and he nodded, as he exhaled, relaxing slightly.

"You're not getting chest pain, are you? Sorry, my hands are cold." Nathan asked as he placed his hands on Horatio's bare skin and felt his ribs, checking to see if any ribs have moved or worsened.

"No, nothing like that, I mean the exterior, the bruises and things." Horatio said and Nathan nodded as he concentrated on Horatio's chest.

"I'll give you some stronger oral painkillers, but everything looks good." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded.

"Thank you." He said softly and Nathan nodded with a small smile as he stepped back and allowed Horatio to sit up and do his buttons up. Nathan looked up at Zoë who hadn't moved from the bed or her position.

"How are you feeling now, Zoë?" Nathan asked softly, thinking she'd calmed down. She glanced round and they could both see that she was still extremely agitated, they just wondered what she was going to do next.

"What the-the fuck do you think?" She questioned and he put his hands in his pockets as he looked at her with a warm expression, hoping to calm the situation as he knew her moods could be exacerbated by facial expressions. Horatio moved and Nathan looked down to make sure he was okay but something caught his eye. He frowned and focused on the item that had caught his eye.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Erm, Horatio…" Nathan said as he reached down and picked up Zoë's bright pink thongs from under his thigh. Horatio quickly grabbed them and stuffed them in his pocket as he swallowed. He looked up at Nathan as his face nearly matched the colour of the thongs. Nathan took a deep breath and stepped back as he crossed his arms and tilted his head at Horatio.

"This is going to be quite personal, but have you both just had sex?" Nathan asked softly and Horatio remained silent as he looked down to the blanket, feeling even more embarrassed. He looked over to Zoë as she began to laugh sarcastically as she looked out the window.

"Horatio, I don't mind if you have, I need to know because Zoë's not on her pill and she could get pregnant, at this moment in time that is not a good idea. I'm not going to lecture you about it." Nathan said warmly as Horatio looked up at Nathan.

"No, we haven't. It's why she's in a mood." Horatio said quietly after taking a deep breath.

"I'm not in a fucking mood yo-you moron!" She shouted as she turned and got off the bed before glaring fiercely at both Nathan and Horatio.

"Zoë, try and keep it down sweet." Nathan said softly as Horatio ran a hand through his hair. '_She's right, I am a moron.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he ran a hand through his hair. "Don't take it personally Horatio, she's not herself right now, it's the brain injury. It's not true." Nathan said very quietly as he placed his hand on Horatio's arm when he could see it affecting Horatio more. Horatio exhaled as he looked down at the blanket and briefly closed his eyes to try and repeat what Nathan just said in his head. Nathan then walked away from Horatio and over to Zoë slowly.

"Back off right now." She warned him and he stood where he was and crossed his arms. "Don't come any-an-any closer or I'll snap your neck." She warned and Nathan raised an eyebrow as he exhaled.

"Zoë, if you carry on I'm going to have to sedate you, okay? So please try and calm down." Nathan said calmly as he looked her in the eye.

"Just leave me alone!" She shouted as she turned around and walked back into the en-suite.

"Well done Horatio, I know it's not easy to handle when this happens. She will cool off though, whatever she said to you, don't take it personally, I cannot stress that enough. It wasn't her swearing, it wasn't her saying hurtful things, okay? I need to make sure you understand that." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he looked over to Nathan.

"It's just a little unsettling to see her like that." Horatio said softly.

"I know Horatio, she doesn't mean it. It is best to just leave her alone in situations like that." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded. She walked out of the en-suite as she exhaled a deep breath.

"Can I have a moment with Horatio please?" She questioned calmly and Nathan nodded and then looked to Horatio who nodded at him. He quickly left and Zoë looked down at the floor, she took a deep breath. She began to play with her hands as she watched her fingers entwine with each other. She swallowed and then looked up at him with tears in her eyes and a quivering lip.

"Don't apologise sweetheart, I understand." Horatio said softly and she wrapped her arms around herself as she pressed her lips into a hard line.

"I have t-to apologise. That was unforgivable." She said as she began to cry. She looked down and then released herself as she placed her hands over her eyes as Horatio sat up. She looked back up to him and he knew she was about to apologise again so kept quiet. "I don't und-understand how I could act like that or sw-swear at you or Nathan like that. I'm disgraced with myself. I'm so sorry, I really am Ho-Horatio, I didn't mean to swear at your or shout at your or say anything to hurt you. You-you're not a moron at all. I don't even know what happened." She said as she looked back down and shook her head as she wiped her tears away and continued to take broken breaths. Horatio got himself up as quickly as he could as he looked at her sympathetically.

"Zoë, it's okay beautiful." Horatio said warmly as he walked over to her.

"What's okay about it? You shouldn't forgive me-me for that! I am a horrible person!" She cried as she looked up at him with tears cascading down her cheeks as she tried to swipe away each tear.

"You're not a horrible person, Zoë. Nathan told you that you can experience outbursts; that was an outburst okay? It wasn't you saying those things, I know that, Nathan knows that. Don't worry about it." Horatio said softly as he lifted her chin with his hand and looked into her watery eyes. '_What if he doesn't love me anymore? What if I've been such a bitch that he doesn't want to be with me? I can't lose him!'_ Zoë panicked in her head as she looked into his calm blue eyes as they gazed into her watery, red eyes.

"I do love you Horatio." She said frantically as she took hold of his right upper arm as he continued to hold her head up to look into her eyes. He knew she'd only look down again if he let go of her.

"I know you do beautiful, and I love you too. Don't worry about it sweetheart, please." Horatio said as he raised his other hand to the side of her head and began to wipe the tears from her cheeks and eyes as they fell. She took hold of both of his upper arms as she looked up and into his eyes.

"I've even put your trousers back on-on without any underwear!" She cried more and he pulled her towards him with a smile, finding it a little amusing. He delicately rubbed her back and placed his chin on the top of her head, making sure to stay well clear of her forehead.

"Why don't you go and put some on then, yes?" Horatio asked after he kissed the top of her head and lowered his head to talk quietly into her ear. She nodded and then pulled away from him and pulled a clean pair from the bag. She turned back to him as he placed his hand on one of her upper arms.

"I love you an-and I'm so sorry." She said as she looked up at him. He wiped the last of her tears away with a tender smile.

"I love you and don't worry about it, go and change." Horatio said softly as he put his lips to the left side of her forehead and then kissed her again. She pulled away slightly and gave him a small smile as she took hold of his hand and began to play with his fingers.

"I think I'm going t-to have a shower actually." She said softly and Horatio nodded. He pulled some of her clothes from the bag and handed them to her.

"Give me a shout if you want me, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then gave him a quick kiss and then walked into the en-suite. A few minutes later, Nathan walked back in after knocking on the door.

"Everything okay?" Nathan asked softly and Horatio nodded as he walked back over to the bed, looking much happier.

"She's calmed down and apologised profusely." Horatio replied as he sat on the edge of the bed and began to rub his ribs lightly and Nathan nodded as he walked over to the bed and leant against it as he looked over to Horatio with an easy smile.

"I'll need to talk to you about the intimate side of things nearer the time of her discharge, it could get a little complicated." Nathan said softly as he crossed his arms.

"It's already difficult enough." Horatio mumbled as he rubbed his forehead and looked towards the en-suite door. '_I already worry that she'll blackout every time we get intimate. Now there's the worry about her not being of sound mind at all. Is she even able to consent at this moment in time? Is she able to process what that means?'_ Horatio thought to himself as his eyes fell to the unused bed.

"What makes you say that?" Nathan asked curiously as he stood up and turned to Horatio to give him his full attention.

"It's a long story." Horatio mumbled again as he glanced up to Nathan before looking back over to the door and listening to the shower.

"I do have all day off." Nathan said softly as he tilted his head at Horatio to try and encourage him to talk to him.

"Nothing, it's fine." Horatio said as he exhaled as he sat back properly on the bed and sorted his shirt out. Nathan stepped closer to the bed and continued to study Horatio.

"You're not having problems getting it up are you? It's quite common and nothing to be ashamed about." Nathan said quietly.

"No, no nothing like that. In fact I'm quite the opposite… especially when she's being..." Horatio admitted frantically as he looked up at Nathan with wide eyes and a frown, he felt both embarrassed and nearly horrified by Nathan's thought. '_Especially when she's generally being herself or is teasing me…'_ He thought to himself, finishing his sentence.

"Okay, well try and get some rest." Nathan said softly when he saw how stressed Horatio was. '_I think I've just stressed him out more with that question._' Nathan thought to himself, feeling guilty. Horatio nodded and Nathan quickly left him too it. Zoë walked out in her clothes and then got up on the bed with Horatio as he looked at her with a gentle smile.

"I'm really sorry Horatio, I know I've pissed you off and stressed you out." Zoë said softly as she snuggled up close to him and wrapped her arm around his stomach. He felt her warmth transfer to him and it had him feeling right at ease.

"No you haven't sweetheart, it's okay." Horatio said softly as he put his arm around her and then nuzzled her nose with his.

"I know you're stressed Horatio, I am so sorry." She apologised again as she opened her eyes to see that he'd closed his she quickly closed hers again and realised that he was relaxing.

"Zoë, don't apologise sweetheart, that was out of your control, I know it was. Don't worry about it, I just need some rest, that's all beautiful." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then lightly kissed him before she began to rest and relax herself. They both fell asleep in each other's arms. Joe and Nathan walked back in later that evening and Nathan attached the wires back onto Zoë's head.

"The pressure is going down, she showered herself, I think I'll be happy to discharge her soon." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded with a smile. The evening flew past and Monday morning quickly arrived. They all woke when the sun shone through the blinds and both Zoë and Horatio sat up. Zoë climbed into his lap and Nathan got up and headed out. He walked back in with a packet of tablets and handed them to Zoë.

"You should start these today, take it whenever you want to." Nathan said softly and she nodded and then placed them on the side with a small smile.

"What's that? Is Zoë okay?" Joe questioned as he sat forwards and tried to get a look at the name of the tablets.

"It's just the Pill Joe, don't worry." Zoë said as she looked over to him and he nodded as he relaxed back into the chair. Zoë looked back to Horatio with a small smile and then placed a light kiss on his lips. He smiled at her and then ran his hand through her hair as he saw the glow in her eyes.

"I'm going to have a shower, are you okay to stay here?" Horatio asked Zoë and she nodded silently.

"Okay sweetheart, I won't be too long." He said softly and she nodded and then gave him another kiss. She sat back and pulled her knees up to her chest and bit her bottom lip as she watched him walk into the en-suite. She looked back to the blanket on the bed as Horatio closed the door behind him. She wrapped her arms around herself and Nathan could see that she was trying to make herself smaller as he noticed the vulnerability in her eyes. He got up and slowly walked over to the bed but noticed that she moved away from him slightly.

"How are you feeling sweet?" Nathan asked softly and she nodded as she glanced up at him but quickly looked back to the bed. "Zoë, it's Nathan. I'm not going to hurt you sweet." He said softly as he slowly outstretched his hand as she glanced back over to him. "You're safe, Zoë. It's me, Nathan." He said warmly and she swallowed as she unwrapped one of her arms from around her and took a light hold of his outstretched hand. Nathan gave her a very warm smile as he ran his thumb over the backs of her knuckles. "Cup of tea?" He asked and she shook her head softly as she looked up at him with gentle, timid eyes.

"No thank you." She whispered before she looked around the room. Her eyes settled back on Nathan as he gave her a gentle smile.

"Okay, I'm going to nip home okay? I need a shower and a change too. I won't be too long okay? Joe's here, you're safe okay?" Nathan asked as her lowered his head to her level and she nodded at him as she pressed her lips together. "Are you sure? I can wait until Horatio is finished if you'd prefer that." Nathan said softly as he placed his other hand on her knee and she shook her head. She let go of his hand and then reached up for him as she rose to her knees. She knelt on the bed and wrapped her arms around his waist. He embraced her equally as warmly. "You're okay sweet. Horatio is just in there, okay? Don't worry." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she pulled from the tight embrace and then sat back down. "Is there anything I can get you before I leave?" He asked as he stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers lightly, he saw that it was calmed her a little. He looked into her worried eyes and could see that something was bothering her. '_I won't get it out of her, I know I won't._' He thought to himself as he sighed.

"No thank you" she said slowly and quietly.

"Okay, as I say, Horatio is just in the en-suite and Joe is right beside you, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded as she glanced over to Joe. He could see that she was timid and that something was bothering her, he could see that she wanted comfort. She gave Nathan a smile and then watched him walk out after giving Joe a nod and gave him a silent message to keep an eye on her.

Zoë sat back in the bed and pulled her knees up and hugged herself again as she looked down at the plain blanket, she took a deep breath and bit her lip. "Wh-where's Ryan?" She asked as she looked round to Joe, he looked up at her and exhaled with soft eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"We don't see Ryan anymore, remember? He hurt you Bunny." Joe said softly and she then exhaled as she looked down at the blanket and nodded as she began to bite her lip hard, repeatedly. She took a few broken breaths. "Darling?" Joe asked softly and watched her lips press into a hard line.

"I want Bunny" she said as she looked over to Joe.

"I'm here darling" he said as he got up, he could tell that she was shy and vulnerable that morning so he kept his voice as gentle as he could. She shook her head and looked away from him.

"No, I want Bunny" she said a little more firmly as she hugged herself tighter.

"I am Bunny darling." He said and she looked up at him and looked into his eyes. He watched her search his eyes before she exhaled and looked down to his shirt as she released herself a little, giving her chest room to expand.

"I'm sorry" she whispered as she looked away and down to the bed as she began to bite her lip again.

"It's okay Zoë, don't apologise." He said as be moved closer and then saw her flinch when he stepped closer. He quickly stepped back and put his hands in his pockets and looked at her wide-eyed. '_She just flinched from me? She's never ever flinched when I've approached her.'_ Joe thought to himself, startled himself. He could feel his heart beating hard in his chest as he began to panic that he'd really upset her. "I'm so sorry Zoë; I didn't mean to startle you. I'm not going to hurt you, it's me, Joe, it's Bunny." He said as he crouched so he was lower than her and looked up at her as he moved closer again. She glanced over to him, only moving her eyes, not her head as she took a deep breath and relaxed her jaw so it slacked slightly. "I'm not going to hurt you Zoë, I never would." He said as he placed his hand on the bed, palm up. She swallowed and then placed her hand in his hand and he gave her a reassuring smile. He raised his other hand and skimmed his fingertips up and down her forearms. "Well done Bunny, you're doing really well. I'm really proud of you." He said softly and she looked over to the en-suite door when she heard something small fall in the bathroom, it sounded like a bottle.

"I want Horatio, where is he?" She asked as she looked back down to Joe.

"He's in the en-suite having a shower." Joe said softly as he stroked the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb. He saw her tick make a return as her head jerked to the right once.

"I wan-want-want-want Horatio." She said as she started to tick more and let go of his hand.

"Okay, okay darling, he's in the en-suite, go and knock on the door and he'll let you in, I'm sure he will." Joe said softly and she quickly got off the bed as Joe pulled the wires from her head. She walked over to the door and knocked.

"Horatio?" She said loudly and awaited his response.

"Come in sweetheart." He called loudly and she quickly opened the door. Joe could hear the shower going. She stepped in and looked at him in the shower as he turned around to face her with a gentle expression. She stepped in more and then wrapped her arms around herself as she looked up at him and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Close the door please, Zoë." Horatio said quickly and she quickly closed it as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair. She bit her lip and wrapped herself in her arms again and looked down to the floor. "Are you okay, Zo?" He asked as he turned to her as he rinsed his hair and she nodded as she walked over to the sink and looked at the shower head.

"I-I just–" she started but stopped herself and took a deep breath, she swallowed and then glanced to him and let her eyes get trapped in his gaze.

"It's okay sweetheart, I heard. I'll be done in a moment." He said softly and she gave him a small smile. She then looked down and bit her lip. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly and she nodded, silently. "Anything you want to talk about? Did you have a dream you want to talk about?" Horatio asked softly and she shook her head. Horatio turned the shower off and then wrapped a towel around his waist and walked over to the sink. She quickly moved away as she continued to look down at the floor and he lowered his eyebrows. '_Something's wrong.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he stood and studied her as he frowned. She glanced up at him and looked back down immediately and moved away again, becoming more uncomfortable under his intense gaze. He turned back to the sink, realising he was making her worse and looked at himself in the mirror before looking over to her in the mirror.

"Are you sure there's nothing you want to talk about beautiful?" Horatio asked softly as he picked up a razor and the shaving foam, keeping his eyes on her in the mirror. She nodded as she continued to look down and Horatio knew from the way she avoided eye contact that something was quite wrong. "Is that a yes, you do want to talk about it or a yes, you're sure there's nothing you want to talk about?" Horatio asked softly as he smeared the shaving foam over the bottom half of his face.

"I'm sure" she said softly as she glanced up at him and he nodded. He then began to delicately shave as she took a step forwards. He noticed that she looked up slightly to the towel that was around his waist. "Ca-can I have a shower?" She asked Horatio who looked over to her and nodded with a gentle smile.

"Of course, go and get some clothes and then come back in." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then walked out to get some clothes before returning to the en-suite. She closed the door after her and then started to undress, Horatio finished shaving properly as she got into the shower.

"I'll be outside okay sweetheart, is it okay if I leave you in here?" He asked and she nodded as he finished doing his buttons up on his shirt.

"Okay, I'll see you out there beautiful." Horatio said softly as he did his cuffs up and she turned as he walked back out. She watched him walk out as she bit her lip. He closed the door behind him and looked over to Joe as he put his phone away and looked at Horatio.

"Is she okay?" Joe asked softly.

"I think she's just having a bit of a quiet day." Horatio said quietly back as he walked over to the seat that Nathan usually occupied.

"She flinched when I moved closer, she thought I was going to hurt her. She's never flinched from me before." Joe said softly and Horatio frowned slightly as he sat down and studied Joe's worried facial expression.

"I think she just wants her own space. I do think something's bothering her, but she won't talk." Horatio said softly and Joe nodded as he sat back and ran his index finger over his lips once more. Horatio got back up when the seat felt quite uncomfortable and walked over to the bed.

"No surprise there then, she'll usually stay quiet when something is eating at her." Joe said softly and Horatio exhaled as he leant against his bed to try and figure out what was going through her head. He ran his fingers over his cheeks and chin to make sure he had got everywhere with the razor. Joe studied Horatio briefly before looking over to the window himself to try and figure her out. '_Ryan… she asked about Ryan.'_ Joe thought to himself as he looked back to Horatio and sat up straight.

"She asked about Ryan. Perhaps she's had a dream or something?" Joe asked and Horatio nodded as he continued to think, not really taking in what Joe had just said.

"I'd try to keep your distance from her today, she doesn't seem to want close contact." Horatio said softly and then thought back to what Joe had said. '_She asked about Mr Wolfe?_' Horatio questioned himself becoming alarmed. "She asked about Wolfe? What did she ask?" Horatio asked quietly as he placed his hands on his hips as he stood up straight to turn to Joe, giving him his full attention.

"She just asked where he was and then she wanted to see you when I said that we don't see him anymore." Joe said softly and then frowned as he replayed her question and facial expression in his mind again. "She wasn't asking for him, was she? She was actually asking about his whereabouts, wasn't she? She's worried." Joe said as Horatio nodded and then backed off as he dropped his hands from his hips.

"I'll be a moment." Horatio said as he walked back into the en-suite. He quickly closed the door and turned back to Zoë.

"Did you have a dream about Mr Wolfe, Zoë?" Horatio asked and she quickly turned to him and shook her head innocently. She hid her hands behind her back as she looked at him and bit her lip. "Then why did you ask Joe where he was?" Horatio asked softly and she shrugged as she looked down at the floor while she took a deep breath. "Zoë, talk to be beautiful, please." Horatio pleaded her as he tilted his head and walked over to the shower. He stood about a meter away from her and watched her take another deep breath as she gritted her teeth before she turned around to face the wall.

"There's nothing to say" she grumbled as she placed her hands against the shower wall. She looked up at the shower as it poured onto her face and then down her body. She closed her eyes and felt the warm water sliding down her face, her neck to her chest and stomach and finally down her legs. Horatio's eyes narrowed on her right hand on the wall.

"Can you give me your hand sweetheart?" Horatio asked when he saw blood running down the wall from her right hand.

"Why?" She questioned quietly as she continued to face the wall.

"Because you've hurt yourself sweetheart." Horatio said as he turned around and picked up some clean bandages from the side by the sink. He turned back to her and sighed when she didn't move. "Zoë…" Horatio said firmly yet gently and she turned and held her left hand out as she looked at his shirt. "Your other hand please." Horatio said as he held a hand towel ready to dry her hand. She exhaled and then handed him her hand. He took hold of her wrist and turned her hand to face her palm up. He pulled her fist open and saw blood collecting in her palm as it oozed from the cuts in her skin. "Zoë! What have you done?" Horatio questioned when he saw lots of clean cuts on her palm and hand.

"Nothing." She whispered as she looked down and away. She then raised her left arm and placed her forearm over her eyes to hide her face. He quickly wiped the blood away and placed the bandage on her hand and held it there.

"This is not nothing sweetheart, what did you use to cut yourself with?" Horatio questioned frantically but she didn't answer, she just shook her head. "Why, beautiful?" Horatio questioned as he pulled her out of the shower and wrapped her in a towel before turning the water off. "Stay here, I need to get some antiseptic and I need Nathan to take a look at it, okay?" Horatio said as she kicked the towel away after dropping it from her body. Horatio exhaled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. '_Please don't be difficult now._' He thought to himself as he picked up another large towel and wrapped her in it before seating her on the loo having made sure the lid was down. "Don't move and keep that bandage on your hand, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked down at the fresh towel. He quickly walked out and picked up Zoë's phone as he pulled some antiseptic wipes and bandages from the draws in the corner of the room where the supplies were kept.

"Hi, Nathan it's Horatio." He said when Nathan picked up.

"Is everything okay?" Nathan asked softly, noticing the rushed tone to his voice.

"Not exactly, are you in the hospital or at home still?" Horatio asked softly as he picked up more antiseptic wipes.

"I'm just walking back up to the ward now, what's the problem?" Nathan asked softly.

"Can you just come and see Zoë before your rounds please?" Horatio asked and Nathan heard the panic in his voice.

"Certainly, I'll be there in a few seconds." Nathan said as he hung up and began to rush.

"What's going on? Is Zoë okay?" Joe questioned as he stood.

"Yes, just stay where you are for now please. Don't come near the door." Horatio said softly as he walked back into the en-suite. Nathan quickly walked through the door and Joe pointed to the en-suite, Nathan walked over to the bathroom and entered, quickly closing the door behind him.

"What's wrong?" Nathan questioned as he walked over to them. He saw Horatio crouching in front of Zoë as he held her right hand and concentrated on it.

Horatio glanced up at him as Nathan stood tall. "She's cut her hand open." Horatio said as he cleaned her palm but it just kept weeping after every stroke he used to clean it. Nathan's eyes widened as he quickly crouched beside Horatio and took her hand from his and studied the weeping wounds.

"How? Zoë what did you do?" Nathan questioned as he frowned up at Zoë, but she just looked away. Nathan then took some antiseptic from Horatio and began to help clean her hand. "How did you do this, Zoë? I need to know sweet. Was it an accident?" Nathan asked as he looked up at her. She pressed her lips into a hard line and looked down. She put her chin to her chest and closed her eyes. "I'm not going to be mad with you Zoë, I just need to know how you've cut your hand." Nathan said warmly and she looked up at him as she swallowed.

"Ho-Horatio-Horatio's–" She said and then reached out with her left hand and ran her fingers over his cheek.

"You used one of my razors?" He questioned and she nodded as she furrowed her brow and looked at him worried, hoping he wouldn't go ballistic. "Zoë, you shouldn't be touching those." Horatio sighed and she looked down and away as she wrapped her left arm around herself.

"Why?" Nathan questioned but she didn't reply, she just looked down. "Why have you cut your hand, Zoë?" Nathan questioned a little more firmly.

She swallowed and then looked up at Nathan, then to Horatio. He saw that timid look again and he knew what she was about to say. "Because I did have a dream about him. My hand was burning, it felt like it was on fire. Now it feels cleaner." She said as she held Horatio's eyes.

"I asked you if you had dreamt about that Zoë, you lied to me." Horatio said as he looked up at her and she burst into tears as she tried to push Horatio away with her left hand but he resisted.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-didn't want a fuss." She cried as Horatio threw the wipes away and let Nathan bandage her hand as he got up and pulled her in to hug her. "I saw it again Horatio." She cried as she wrapped her left arm around him and let Nathan fiddle with her right. Horatio closed his eyes and exhaled as he played with her hair and then kissed her temple.

"It's okay beautiful, you're safe. He's never going to hurt you again, he's never going to come near you again. I promise you, you're safe Zoë." Horatio assured her quietly as he rubbed her back and felt her rapid, broken breathing against his neck. She could feel her head beginning to pound unbearably painfully as she was crying.

"I'm sorry for lying, I didn't want a fuss. I just wanted to get him off." She cried as she took a fistful of his shirt.

"It's okay sweetheart, I understand. You should have told me though, I could have helped without you cutting your hand up." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she tried to calm herself down as the headache was only getting worse. "You're okay sweetheart, you're not in trouble. Everything's going to be okay." Horatio whispered in her ear a few times. She began to calm down as her breathing slowed to a normal rate as her hand loosened on his shirt slightly.

"Where's the razor, Zoë?" Nathan questioned once she was calm enough.

"In the shower, I dropped it when Horatio came in." She sobbed slightly as she pulled away from Horatio. He wiped her eyes as she looked down into the shower, at the razor by the plughole. Nathan got up and picked up the razor, he sighed when he saw the blades covered in her blood and skin. He quickly threw it in the bin and watched Horatio gently turn her head so she looked back at him. He skimmed the pad of his thumb over her cheek as he looked into her eyes, softly.

"Did you cut or hurt yourself anywhere else?" Horatio questioned as he tilted his head and took a light hold of her left hand.

"I was going to, but you stopped me when I dropped the razor. You startled me." She said as she looked back into his eyes as she swallowed and blinked a few times.

"Where? I need to check that you haven't actually cut yourself." Horatio asked softly but she didn't answer, she just looked away again as she pressed her lips into a hard line.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"Zoë, where were you going to cut yourself?" Horatio questioned as he placed his hands on her knees.

"Where he put his hand." Zoë replied as she looked up at him and he exhaled and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. '_Please, I hope she hasn't cut herself there.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he looked back up at her with frantic eyes and a furrowed brow. He felt his heart rate pick up considerably.

"Where who put his hand? What's this about?" Nathan questioned with a deep frown as he crossed his arms. Horatio and Zoë both chose not to answer his question as they continued to look at each other. Horatio willed her to tell him, silently, but she kept her lips closed.

"Have you cut yourself there?" He asked and she shook her head as she pressed her lips together and looked down at his shirt. "Zoë, tell me the truth." Horatio pressed as he lifted her head with his right hand and looked into her eyes. "Zoë, let me look please." Horatio asked softly and she shook her head, breaking free from his hand that had a gentle hold of her chin. He sighed and looked down to her lap, beginning to become a lot more frustrated again. "Let me look, Zoë. I have to check." Horatio asked again and she took a deep breath.

"I don't want you too." She said as she glanced up at Nathan before looking back to Horatio as he looked back up to her. Just as his eyes connected with hers, she looked away again.

"Do you want some privacy? Nathan can step out for a moment while I check?" Horatio asked and she broke down crying again as she shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. '_Well, she's stopped stuttering and repeating herself, she's just slurring and mumbling now, at least it's a little bit of an improvement.'_ Nathan thought to himself as Horatio comforted her again. "Zoë, I just want a quick look beautiful. Nothing more, I have to check because right now I'm not sure you're telling me the truth." Horatio levelled with her and she exhaled.

"I haven't, I told you that I dropped the razor before I could as you came in." Zoë tried assuring him but it wasn't working, the more she argued, the more he thought she was lying to him.

"Zoë, it's not a big deal, just let me look sweetheart." She exhaled and then nodded when she realised that he wasn't going to give up and he wasn't going to believe her.

"Well done, Zoë." Horatio said softly as he reached up and threaded his right hand in her hair as he gave her a smile. She looked at him with tears falling down her cheeks. He glanced over to Nathan. "Can you turn around quickly please Nathan?" Horatio asked and Nathan turned around. Horatio quickly pushed the towel up over her legs and then pulled it from her front and pulled her thighs apart gently.

"See" Zoë said as she quickly closed her thighs again and Horatio sat back and nodded. She pulled the towel back around herself and looked down at him as she wrapped her arms around herself. Horatio sighed and looked up at her, feeling slightly bad that he'd just made her incredibly uncomfortable. '_I had to check though.'_ He thought to himself. He watched her begin to hyperventilate.

"Zoë" Horatio said warmly but she continued to look down. "Zoë" Horatio asked again and she glanced up to him before looking back down as she tightened her arms around herself. He paused and then sighed, causing her to look up at him. "I had to check Zoë." Horatio said softly as he rose a little and then embraced her again as he kissed her temple and ran a hand through her wet hair. Nathan turned around and saw Zoë's extremely upset and distressed facial expression. '_What are they talking about?'_ Nathan thought to himself as he studied them. '_Is this just another side effect of the head injury? Was it something that happened in their dream_?' Nathan thought to himself as he stood strong and studied the both of them as Horatio whispered to her quietly and she nodded against his shoulder.

"Will someone please fill me in? Who's touched you Zoë? What's gone on and why have you cut your hand to shreds?" Nathan asked, worried about her and her mental health.

He watched Horatio pull back and look to Zoë as he took hold of her left hand and nodded at her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she paused for a moment to collect her thoughts as Horatio ran his thumbs over the back of her hand. She swallowed as she opened her eyes and looked up at Nathan. He took a step forwards, seeing the seriousness of the situation and just how upset she was. He could see her readying herself to talk to him, so he already knew it was something that took a lot for her to admit. "I… I was assaulted… sexually assaulted when I came home from the hospital after being poisoned, Nathan. I had no idea it had occurred until recently. He touched me and nearly raped me, he did something to my hand that I don't want to talk about and I had a dream about it last night and it's made me feel dirty again. Cutting myself there is one of the ways to make me feel clean." She cried as she looked up at him and watched his jaw drop to the floor as his eyes widened. He'd even lost a little colour in his face. He blinked a few times and then frowned at her before he took a deep breath and looked completely shocked again. She swallowed and pressed her lips into a hard line.

"You were assaulted when I released you from the hospital?" Nathan questioned as he ran his hands through his hair and she nodded as he stepped back as he let his jaw slack again. "Who? Do you know him? I'm so sorry Zoë, I had no idea. I shouldn't have released you, I should have kept you in. What happened?" Nathan questioned as he took two fists of his hair and stepped forwards again as he crouched down and placed his hands on her knee and looked up at her, absolutely distraught.

"It wasn't your fault. I blacked out and he saw his advantage. It would have happened whether you released me or not back then. I still suffer with blackouts, you can't stop that. Don't blame yourself." Zoë said quietly as she looked down at his hands as Horatio placed his on her other knee while he continued to stroke the back of her knuckles on her left hand.

"What do you mean it wasn't my fault? I released you, you were unwell and you were assaulted." Nathan said firmly as he swallowed. Horatio looked over to him, he noticed that Nathan was horrified as he looked up at Zoë intensely.

"I'm still technically unwell Nathan, I still blackout. You can't keep me in here forever, you would have had to have released me at some point and it still would have happened. Don't blame yourself, Horatio already blames himself enough, I don't need both of you blaming yourselves for something that was out of both of your control. None of you are to blame." She said firmly as she looked up at him, equalling his intensity. Nathan frowned and then swallowed as he looked into both of her eyes.

"Zoë, who assaulted you? Please don't say who I think you're going to say." Nathan said quietly as he placed his hand over her right forearm and lessened his intensive stare to a gentle, worried expression.

"Who are you thinking of?" Zoë questioned and Nathan looked at her as he pressed his lips together briefly.

"Ryan" Nathan sighed quietly and she looked away and began to sob again as she pulled Horatio closer. Horatio quickly moved closer and then held the towel up after she'd let go of it. Horatio looked back to Nathan and saw his face flushing red as his eyes burnt with anger and disgust.

"Why isn't he in prison?! Did he rape you?" Nathan questioned loudly as he stood up and turned around to push his fists through his hair. He took a deep breath and looked back to her once he managed to get himself under control. He placed his hand over his mouth as he rubbed his cheek with his thumb as she looked up at him once she'd managed to decrease the lump in her throat by concentrating on Horatio.

"No, I came around before he got that far, luckily. He-he just did other stuff. I don't want to press charges, I can't ruin his life over something like that." Zoë said quietly as she looked down at her hands as she began to fiddle with the bandage.

Nathan frowned at her with wide eyes. "Zoë, you're a goddamn police officer, you know he needs to be put away!" Nathan said firmly as he placed his fists on his waist.

"I've already had this discussion with Horatio and Joe, don't stress me out about it again." She said firmly back and he could see her on her boiling point as she scowled at him fiercely.

"You're cutting yourself because of him, Zoë. God forbid what could have happened if you had cut yourself where I think you two were talking about. Your chances of having children would drop if you ever did anything like that." Nathan said and she looked up at him and swallowed with wide eyes herself.

"Would it?" She asked quietly and he nodded as he crossed his arms. "Please can we just drop this? It's in the past. This is exactly why I didn't say anything this morning." She said as she looked from Horatio to Nathan and they nodded when they could see her becoming highly distressed and shy again.

"Get dressed sweet, I'll be outside for now, my rounds can wait." Nathan said softly and she nodded. He then turned around to make his way out.

"Nathan, please keep it to yourself?" She asked and he turned around, he looked at her softly and nodded with a caring expression.

"Of course Zoë, you know I do." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she looked down at the towel Horatio was still holding up for her. Horatio gave Nathan a nod when Nathan silently asked him if he was okay and then left.

Horatio looked back around to Zoë with a sweet, caring smile. "Come on sweetheart, let's get you changed." Horatio said softly and then watched Zoë look back down to his shirt as she quietly sighed and frowned.

"Are you disappointed in me?" She whispered before she began to play with her lips as she looked into his confused eyes.

"No, not at all beautiful. Where is this all coming from? I'm proud of you for everything you do Zoë, I'm grateful for every breath of air you take. I have no time for disappointment." He said softly and she stood as she held the towel up.

"I don't want to change." She said as she looked at Horatio as he stood too.

"You need to wear something, sweetheart. Anything." He said softly as he placed his hand on her back and she shook her head as she stepped away from him with a scowl. He exhaled and turned to pick up his razors so he had time to think of something he could say to get her to dress without conflict. He looked up when he heard the door open and he saw her quickly making her way out of the bathroom as the towel fell from her body. His eyes widened as his heart rate sped up.

"Zoë!" He said frantically as he rushed out after her and threw the packet of razors into their bag. He took hold of her upper arm and pulled her back against him. Nathan quickly stood in front of Zoë as Joe looked round and then immediately looked away. She pushed Horatio off and looked up at Nathan with a hard facial expression.

"Zoë, you can't just walk out naked sweetheart. You must wear something." Horatio said softly and Joe stood up as he looked down to the floor.

"I'll give you guys some space." Joe said as he quickly walked out, keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

"See Zoë, you need to wear clothes." Nathan said very softly as he stood in front of her as Horatio stood behind her and placed his hands on her upper arms. She looked up at Nathan and he could see the fire igniting in her eyes, he knew it was beyond the limits and there was no stopping her oncoming outburst. He took a step back when he saw the fire beginning to burn brightly. He glanced over to the door just as it opened.

"He left in a hurry." Alexx said as she walked through the door with a smile, having seen Joe walk out looking highly embarrassed. Horatio and Nathan looked round to her, both shocked.

"I see why now." Alexx said softly, a little shocked with her smile disappearing as she flashed back to Zoë on her autopsy table. She felt a pit in her stomach form as she looked over to Nathan.

"Fucking bitch slut!" Zoë raised her voice at Nathan and Alexx watched Zoë tensing and knew she'd walked into the room in the middle of one of her outbursts.

"Let go of her Horatio." Nathan said softly as he backed off her and Horatio let go of her and backed off himself. "You need to cool off Zoë." Nathan said warmly and Zoe looked around to Alexx. Zoë glared at Alexx with a threatening expression and then watched a firm expression cross Alexx's face as she placed her hands on her hips. Alexx knew she was just about to snap at her as Horatio began to run his hands through his hair already, afraid of what was to follow.

"What are you looking at?" Zoë hissed at her and Alexx took a deep breath as she softened her facial expression. '_It was probably my firm expression that did that.'_ She thought to herself. '_It's just an automatic response, it's the face I pull when my boys want something they can't have.'_ Alexx thought to herself, feeling guilty for looking at Zoë so firmly.

"Take a deep breath Zoë." Alexx said very softly.

"Don't tell me what to do, you nearly cut me open in autopsy! You nearly killed me you have no right to tell me what to do! What friend nearly kills me?!" Zoë raised her voice a little more and Alexx swallowed as she looked down. She looked back up to Zoë with soft eyes, composing herself from Zoë's hurtful words.

"Honey, you really need to cool off right now." She said softly as she reached out for Zoe.

"Don't you dare touch me!" She warned Alexx and Alexx stopped what she was doing and froze, she saw Zoë's face flush bright red as her eyes fixed on hers dangerously.

"Alexx back off now." Nathan warned and Alexx took a step back as she dropped her hand to her side.

"You're a fucking dick!" She shouted at Nathan and then pulled at her hair as she took a few deep breaths. "You're all fucking idiots! I hate you!" She shouted as she turned and stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door closed. Horatio leaned back against the window and then ran his hands through his hair. Alexx took a deep breath as she looked at the en-suite door.

"You both know not to take any of that to heart." Nathan said softly as he put his hands in his pockets.

"She's right though Nathan, I did nearly kill her." Alexx said as she looked up at him.

"You didn't Alexx, focus on that." Horatio said softly as he looked over to her. "Even if you did cut her Alexx, you would have seen that her blood was still flowing, you would have stopped immediately. You would have never killed her." Nathan assured her and she looked round to him and saw his point and nodded as she began to relax. "She didn't mean it okay, she's just stressed." Nathan said softly and Alexx nodded as they both looked over to Horatio as he placed his hands on is hips and focused on the floor, trying to calm himself down.

"Horatio, she didn't mean it honey." Alexx said softly and he nodded as he exhaled and looked up at her. He then looked over to Nathan, looking a little lost. "Horatio, are you okay?" Alexx asked warmly as she stepped forwards and tilted her head. Horatio looked back to Nathan and they could both see that he was confused.

"Horatio, come and sit down, you're okay and Zoë's okay." Nathan said warmly as he passed Alexx and placed his hand on Horatio's upper arm as Horatio looked at him. Horatio blinked a few times as his eyes skated around Nathan's concerned facial expression. "You're okay Horatio." Nathan assured him as Horatio raised both of his hands to his face and began to rub his eyes as well as running his hands over his entire face as he took a deep breath. He exhaled as he dropped his hands from his face and then opened his eyes to look down at the floor. Nathan moved to place his hand on Horatio's back. Both he and Alexx noticed Horatio tense as soon as Nathan's hand made contact.

"Please don't touch my back." Horatio said quietly as he continued to look down at the floor. Nathan quickly removed his hand and placed it back on Horatio's arm, neither of them could work out what was going through Horatio's head. He felt his back burn for a second before he looked back up and looked at Nathan. He looked a lot less confused as he stood up straight and took his usual strong stance.

"Why is she refusing to dress, Nathan?" Horatio questioned as he ran one hand through his hair with a mild frown. '_He's still confused, it's a good thing they're still here I guess. He was probably just trying to work out why Zoë's acting the way she is, it is enough to confuse anyone who didn't know what was going on with her.'_ Nathan thought to himself.

"I think it's a form of exhibitionism, I could be wrong though. Do you hurt Horatio?" Nathan said softly as he wondered if Horatio was hurting physically which could have been why he asked Nathan to remove his hand, but Horatio shook his head while Alexx stepped forwards.

"Exhibitionism has only been reported in males with head injuries though, not females." Alexx said and Nathan nodded at her as they turned to face each other.

"I know, which is why I said a form of – she isn't actively stripping to show anything off or anything like that, she just doesn't want to wear clothes." Nathan said softly and Alexx nodded while they both tried to find of reasons for the clear dislike of clothes.

"How do we combat that?" Alexx asked and Nathan looked back round to Horatio who'd been listening to their conversation intensely.

"Well, so far, Horatio is the only one who's managed to get her to dress." Nathan said as he looked up at him. "Would you please try and get her to dress? She should have calmed down now." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he sighed, he really didn't want to have to force her to dress, but knew it was necessary. He picked up some of her clothes and knocked on the door.

"It's Horatio, Zoë." Horatio called and she opened the door to him. He studied her calm face before she stepped back to allow him in. He closed it after himself and then tried to get her to dress, she refused to talk to him. He wasn't successful in getting her to wear her own clothes, she only wore her underwear. But he managed to get her to wear his clothes. '_Now we have a problem, I'm in my boxers and Alexx is standing outside.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he watched Zoë do the last of the buttons up on the shirt.

"Can you go and get me some more trousers and a shirt please, Zoë?" He asked and she nodded and then walked out. She completely ignored Alexx and Nathan and then walked back into the bathroom and closed the door. They both emerged and Zoë turned to Horatio and then wrapped her arms around him as they stood by the door.

"It's okay sweetheart, you don't need to apologise, we all understand." Horatio said before she had the chance to verbally apologise. She held onto him for a few minutes, listening to his steady heart beating, using the gentle rhythm to calm herself down. She then pulled away once she was calm enough.

"I didn't mean anything, I'm so sorry, both of you… all 3 of you. I didn't mean what I said, really." She said as she looked at Alexx and Nathan as she held Horatio's hand around her waist.

"It's okay baby girl, we understand. No hard feelings." Alexx said softly and she nodded and then walked over to Alexx. They hugged and she then hugged Nathan and apologised again.

"I think I need a rest." Zoë said softly and Nathan nodded at her and gestured towards the bed. She stopped and looked round to Horatio.

"I'm coming sweetheart." Horatio said softly and then got up onto the bed and she got up after him.

"How are you both doing?" Alexx asked as she walked over to them and placed her hand cautiously on Zoë's forearm.

"We're good, I've been discharged and Zoë is well on the road to recovery. Her speech has improved since yesterday and this morning. You're doing really well, aren't you?" Horatio said with a smile as he sat forwards and looked to Zoë. She smiled shyly at him and then nodded as she glanced up at Alexx.

"That's great news, well done baby girl." She smiled sweetly as she rubbed Zoë's forearm, her eyes then fell to the fresh bandage on Zoë's right hand. "What happened to your hand, Zoë?" Alexx asked softly and Zoe looked away and down at the other side of the bed.

"Just a little accident." Horatio said quietly as he looked up at Alexx while Zoe took hold of his hand after pulling her arm from under Alexx's touch.

Nathan walked over to her and attached the wires to her head again. "Zoë, you've got to stop putting pressure on your head sweet, the intracranial pressure has gone up a little more again." Nathan sighed and she looked up at him.

"Mmm" she moaned as she reached out to push him away but Horatio quickly took hold of her wrist and brought her hand back in and close to them, holding it against her chest as she looked down, agitated again.

"It's okay Zoë." He whispered with his lips against her ear and she then sat back and then turned her head to his and closed her eyes. She pulled her legs up and curled up between his legs as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'll let you rest baby girl, is there anything I can get either of you?" She asked softly.

"Could you please get us some more clothes, well, me some more clothes since Zoë doesn't want to wear hers." Horatio asked softly and she nodded with a kind smile.

"Of course, I'll be back a little later with them for you." She said softly and Horatio gave her a nod. She turned and gave Nathan a hug.

"Take care of them, it looks like you're doing a good job so far." She smiled at him and he smiled back before she walked out. Horatio felt Zoë relax and knew she'd fallen asleep. He sat back and then pulled the blanket up over her. He then pulled the shirt up and began to run his fingertips over her skin.

"How are you really feeling, Horatio?" Nathan asked gently as he walked over to the side of the bed and gave Horatio warm expression.

"I'm good." Horatio said as he looked from Nathan back down to Zoë.

"Horatio, you can talk to me. I'm a doctor, I'm a little concerned about that point where you seemed quite confused. Did I touch a tender spot? Do I need to check you over again? Whatever the problem is, you can talk to me, I will not pass judgement on you. You know that." Nathan said warmly and Horatio looked back up at him.

"It was just a memory, that's all. I'm fine though." Horatio exhaled as his eyes fell back to the bed.

"Would you like to discuss this memory?" Nathan asked warmly.

"Thank you, but I'd rather not. It's just a memory, it's in the past. I think you can probably piece together what it was about anyway." Horatio said quietly as he knew Zoë sometimes gave him the same reaction when he touched her back. '_He's right; I think I do have an idea. Perhaps something Zoë shouted triggered a memory.'_ Nathan thought to himself.

"Okay Horatio, I just want you to know that if you do need to talk, you can talk to me." Nathan said warmly and Horatio exhaled lightly.

"Thank you, Nathan." Horatio said warmly as he looked back up at Nathan and Nathan gave him a gentle smile. He then saw the curiousness ignite in Nathan's eyes. '_He's going to ask more about the memory, I know it.'_ Horatio thought to himself but was quite shocked when Nathan didn't question him about that at all.

"Ryan assaulted her when she was blacking out?" Nathan asked Horatio and Horatio nodded as he pressed his lips into a hard line. "Did he rape her?" Nathan questioned quietly.

"No, she did come around before that. She had no idea what he'd just done to her and he acted as if nothing had happened." Horatio said quietly with a sigh, he then kissed the top of her head.

"When did this happen?" Nathan questioned as he crossed his arms.

"It was a few days after you released her. As you know, she didn't know anything about our relationship, he saw that as a window of opportunity to try something with her. He tried pushing her for a relationship and even asked if she would get into bed with him, to which she said no. He tried pushing me away by telling her things that weren't true, but she said she was still falling for me again and nothing he said affected that, even though she believed some of the things he was telling her. I tried to be round hers as much as I could, but the night he did this to her, I didn't check up on her because I saw his car outside, I trusted him to make sure she was okay. That's why I blame myself." Horatio exhaled quietly, feeling guilty once more.

"Please tell me he only did it once?" Nathan asked as he unfolded his arms and leant on the bed, awaiting Horatio's reply intently.

"He tried again the second time, she was aware this time though, but she didn't know it was him. Once she realised it was him, she pushed him away." Horatio sighed as he stopped rubbing her abdomen and placed his hand flat, feeling her breathing.

"Who did she think he was?" Nathan questioned as he stood up straight, looking down to Horatio with concern in his eyes as well as guilt.

"Me, she thought he was me." Horatio said as he rubbed his forehead and put his head back. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the guilt swallow him whole again. Nathan gave him a few moments to compose himself. He lifted his head once more when Zoë moved slightly and he looked up at Nathan, knowing there were more questions to come. Nathan reached out for her forearm as she began to move again, becoming restless.

"Why won't she charge him?" Nathan exhaled as he stroked her forearm and looked down at her forming placid facial expression while she continued to sleep and relaxed more.

"She doesn't want people to know, she didn't want to tell you, she didn't want you involved as you would have to back the claim up with regard to her mental state and her blackouts at that point in time. She didn't want anyone to see the CCTV footage and she didn't want to ruin his life. She's too compassionate." Horatio exhaled as he gently shook his head. "She was too ashamed to tell anyone, she doesn't want the attention and she doesn't want people to know that Mr Wolfe, who was a very close friend of hers took advantage of her. She views herself as weak and that's something she doesn't want others to think, even though having him arrested is a lot braver and stronger for her to do rather than run from it." Horatio exhaled again.

"He needs to be put in jail." Nathan grumbled.

"I know, I'm hoping that with time, she'll charge him, but I don't want to stress her out and force her to press charges. She needs support when it comes to that and I will support her in whatever she wants." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded.

"He came to see you both when you were unconscious, Eric threw him out straight away, I understand why now." Nathan said softly and he saw the fire ignite in Horatio's eyes. "Don't worry, he didn't get further than the door." Nathan said and Horatio exhaled, calming himself down.

"I assume Joe knows about this?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded. "I'm so sorry Horatio, if I had known that was going to happen, I would have kept her in." Nathan said softly with the guilty look in his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault Nathan, he would have done it at any time, he's been after her for some time and will do anything to touch her." Horatio exhaled as he looked up at Nathan with an equally guilty expression.

Nathan nodded. "It wasn't your fault either, Horatio. We all trusted him, I trusted him. You couldn't have seen that coming." Nathan replied warmly and then picked up his pager as it bleeped at him. Horatio swallowed and looked down at Zoë. '_She's always telling me that, but I still regret not checking up on her.'_ He thought to himself as he nodded at Nathan. "I'm sorry, I've got to go, I'll be back after rounds though." He said softly and Horatio nodded and then relaxed back as Nathan walked out. He rested his eyes for a while and then opened them and lifted his head when Joe walked in with Eric.

"Sorry about that Joe." Horatio apologised quietly.

"Don't worry about it." He said softly and Horatio then looked over to Eric with a gentle expression, happy to see that Eric was well rested and looking fresh.

"Hey H, how're you doing?" he asked as he stood at the end of the bed with a kind smile as his eyes moved from Horatio to Zoë briefly before looking back to Horatio.

"Well thank you, I've been discharged and Zoë's getting better. Her speech has made a big improvement, she's still slurring a little, but it's definitely better. She's also able to do all of the basic things now herself, so I'm hoping Nathan will allow us home soon. She needs to get out of here." Horatio said softly and Eric nodded in understanding.

"That's really good news H, when you both get home, I want you to know that I'm very happy to help out if needed." Eric said softly and Horatio looked down to Zoë as he began to stroke her skin again with a small nod.

"Thank you Eric." Horatio said softly and Eric gave him a nod.

"Is there anything you want now?" Eric asked softly.

"No thank you Eric, we're good." Horatio said softly and Eric nodded as he stood up straight as he placed a hand on his hip.

"Okay, well, I should get back to work. We believe that Joe LeBrock is involved with the incident that put you two in here, but we're just trying to figure out how. He's still in prison, so we're pretty stuck and we can't find the three cars that pushed you both into the sea." Eric said softly and Horatio frowned lightly. '_Joe LeBrock? He's got something to do with this?'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Have you taken the tyre treads from the dock?" Horatio asked and Eric nodded with his all work, no games expression.

"They aren't giving us anything other than the make and model of the car, and we already know that. I will let you know if we find anything or any leads." Eric said softly and Horatio nodded.

"Thank you Eric." Horatio said softly and Eric nodded with a gentle smile forming again.

"I'll let you guys rest now, keep me updated as to how she's doing. Ring if you need anything." Eric said softly as his eyes moved from Zoë to Horatio a few times and Horatio nodded.

"Will do Eric, thank you for coming by." He said softly and Eric gave him a smile and then left. Horatio relaxed slightly and then glanced over to Joe as he took a breath and put his phone away and looked over to Horatio himself.

"If you need any help with her back at home, I'm more than happy to lend a hand, she can be a handful at the best of times, I know, so with this head injury she could be more of a handful." Joe said softly and Horatio frowned as he tilted his head, clearly not impressed. Joe swallowed when he realised he'd struck a chord and slunk back into the chair to make himself smaller. Horatio was one of the last people he ever wanted to get on the wrong side of.

"She's not a handful, she has some difficulties and some mood swings, but she's human. Any other person who'd been through what she has probably wouldn't be standing here right now and certainly wouldn't be on the straight track she is. I'm grateful for those mood swings because it just reminds me just how lucky I am and how close I came to losing her all those months ago. But thank you for the support." Horatio said as he put his head back, feeling stressed himself as he glared at Joe.

"I'm sorry Horatio, I didn't mean to cause offense." Joe said softly as he looked up at Horatio with a furrowed brow, hoping to make amends. Horatio looked down to Zoë when she let out a small moan and exhaled as he briefly closed his eyes to try and compose himself. '_He didn't mean it like that, calm down Horatio.'_ He thought to himself and then gave Joe a nod as he looked back to Joe.

"No I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get stressed." Horatio said softly and watched Joe relax a little more.

"Don't worry about it Horatio." He assured Horatio and Horatio nodded and then closed his eyes again as he put his head back, knowing he needed rest.

"I'm going to make a phone call." Joe said as he got up and pulled his phone up.

Horatio opened his eyes again and looked over to Joe. "You probably want to warn Kaitlin that Alexx will stop by ours later to pick a few things up." Horatio said softly and Joe nodded as he gave Horatio a gentle smile.

"Will do." He said as he walked out. Horatio quickly picked up Zoë's phone and texted Alexx to say that Kaitlin was at theirs and to not be shocked when she finds that someone is in their house. He then rested back after making himself comfortable with Zoë. He flicked the TV on quiet and then watched the news and flicked through the channels when it started to repeat itself after 45 minutes. '_Joe must've gone to get something to eat, or to freshen up._' Horatio thought to himself as he continued to rest, just listening to the TV with his eyes closed, breathing steadily, matching his breathing to Zoë's rhythm. She moved every now and then, causing the fragrance of her hair to be released, almost like an air freshener. Horatio took in the scent each time, feeling it calm him considerably as he ran his fingertips over her abdomen. Nathan then walked in with Alexx. Horatio lifted his head and looked at them. He studied their happy smiles as they walked over to the bed, having had a conversation outside the room.

"How're you doing?" Alexx asked quietly as she placed her hand on Horatio's upper arm just as Horatio put is head back with a gentle expression himself.

"I'm good, I need a walk and stretch, but she's sleeping peacefully." Horatio said softly as he looked down to Zoë who's head was resting on his chest as she sprawled out on her front with her arms hugging Horatio's sides. Alexx looked down to Zoë and her smile grew as she reached out and removed a strand of hair from Zoë's face and tucked it behind her ear as she nodded when she looked back up to Horatio. Horatio then saw a sympathetic expression appear on Alexx's

"How're you coping with finding out that you don't have children?" Alexx asked softly as she placed her hand on his arm again as she tilted her head. Nathan walked away after making sure Zoë was fine and sat down in his chair to get on with some paper work.

"I'm good, obviously it's a little strange, but it was just a dream. It's a little worrying when I wake up and I realise that neither of our girls are about, but I'll get used to it. Zoë seems to be coping really well, but she really wants a baby now." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded as she rubbed his arm gently, he could see that he wanted to go back to the dream, she could see that small amount of pain in his eyes.

"You'll both get there and you'll have your family." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded as he looked down to Zoë with a small smile as he lifted one of his hands and pushed his fingertips through her soft hair with ease. Alexx looked to his hand and saw the care and delicacy in his touch, a lot could be told from the way he caressed her hair.

She looked back to at him, feeling his affection emanate from him as his eyes fixated on her gentle face. She couldn't help but smile and wish that they were much more like that around them at work, her heart melted to see Horatio so happy and calm when she only ever saw him in work mode and usually frustrated with suspects. "Nathan was just telling me about her progress, she's doing really well and so are you, Horatio. I know it's difficult to see our loved ones lash out or say hurtful things, hopefully she'll calm down." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded as he continued to concentrate on Zoë's face as a small smile tugged at Zoë's lips while she continued to sleep causing Horatio's smile to grow slightly.

"She's only really had two outbursts and that's it, hopefully there won't be anymore, but we never know. She's extremely apologetic and very upset after. She couldn't understand what happened the first time she really lost it, she was convinced that she was a horrible person. But other than the outbursts, she seems to have recovered completely, she's the same old Zoë with a few differences and slightly more stubborn." Horatio said softly as he twirled a strand of her hair around his finger and then watched it loosen and fall back down to her back.

"I can imagine her being distraught when she calms down. But she really is doing well. How are you doing with getting her to dress, you're not stressing yourself out too much are you?" Alexx asked softly as she concentrated on Horatio's facial expression while he didn't even look up at her.

"It's not the easiest task, but she'll give in eventually, she refuses to wear anything but my clothes for some reason though." Horatio exhaled as he glanced up at her for a second before looking back to Zoë as she turned her head a little. He then ran his fingertips up and down the centre of her neck.

"I think it's because she really loves you Horatio, Nathan was telling me that she didn't want to eat her food, but would eat yours, the same with your clothes. You might find that she's a little clingier with you, that's also not uncommon with head injuries." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded as he tilted his head and watched her eyes open half-way. He saw the lower part of her iris's but it was clear she was still asleep.

"Well, she refuses to get onto the bed unless I'm on there, and she prefers to sit between my legs with my arms around her, so I think she needs the comfort." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded as she placed her hand on Zoë's back and looked down at her to see Zoë's eyes open half-way. Zoë took a deep breath and then closed her eyes fully before turning her head to face Horatio's chest. He then lightly moved her head again when she was leaning on the right side of her forehead.

"It might also be because she feels protected when she's close with you, she looks to be a little timid; I think she's feeling a little vulnerable and perhaps even scared at the moment. Whatever you're doing though, it's working. Nathan said that he noticed that her speech was better when she was around you compared to when you were in the loo or something, so you're doing her the world of good." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded with a small shy smile. "There's no need to be embarrassed by that, it's lovely to see you both relaxed and showing your affection for each other. At work you're both so professional and hard… I don't know how else to explain it, but it's nice to see you two behind the scenes so to speak. I always knew you had so much love to give, Horatio, it's wonderful to finally see that." Alexx said softly and Horatio smiled shyly again as he concentrated on Zoë. Alexx could see he was happy to hear what she was saying, but she could see that he felt slightly embarrassed by it. "You can act hard in front of the criminals, but you don't have to around us, honey. It's a breath of fresh air to see you both so happy with each other." Alexx said softly as she rubbed his upper arm. He glanced up at her with a smile and nodded before he looked back down to Zoë.

Alexx took a deep breath with a smile. "I got you a few things to keep you occupied for the time being. Walter mentioned that you both passed the time with those puzzle book things when you guys were on that island, I got you a few of those just to pass the time. I also picked up a family packet of crisps, I know she loves them and you're both probably fed up with the stuff you're given." Alexx smiled.

"Thank you Alexx." Horatio smiled as he looked back up at her.

"No problem honey." Alexx smiled.

"I'll let you guys get some rest and I'll pop round again later or something. Ring if you need anything." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded. She exited as Nathan picked up Zoë's notes.

"Pressure has gone down again a little." Nathan smiled and Horatio looked over to the monitor, with a smile appearing on his face again. He looked back to Zoë and then kissed the top of her head. He then walked up beside the side and took hold of Zoë's wrist for her pulse. "Can I get you anything, Horatio? Coffee?" He asked casually as he looked to Horatio after studying Zoë's contented face.

"Coffee would be good thank you." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded as he wrote down Zoë's pulse rate.

"I'll be happy to let her home once that pressure comes right back down and when I'm happy she's able to take care of herself without the aid of you or I. But, I'm a little weary with letting her home so soon after this morning." Nathan said honestly as he leant back on the bed after putting her notes down.

"It's not the first time she's done something like that Nathan, not letting her home won't stop her. It's just a compulsion she has, I can usually stop her though, it only got that bad this morning because I left her, she would have done that even if she was 100%, it's nothing to do with the head injury." Horatio assured him with a sincere facial expression.

Nathan stood back up and crossed his arms with a frown. "Why would she cut her hand though, that's what I don't understand, she's a smart woman, she even has medical training, she knows that infection is a potential threat." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he exhaled and glanced down to Zoë before looking back up at Nathan.

"It's a long story Nathan, but I understand. I don't want to get into it, it's just a apart of her though. She can't help it, she never has been able to help it." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded, knowing he should stop prying as he dropped his arms to his sides.

"Okay, as long as you're sure it's nothing to do with the injuries she's just sustained. I will only let her home as long as I'm sure her welfare isn't at stake either. I need to know that she won't be left alone for long periods of time, especially after last time. I also need to know that you're 100% sure you can cope with the extra responsibly and stress." Nathan said clearly as he looked Horatio in the eye.

"You know I wouldn't leave her for long periods of time Nathan, if I went to the shop, she'd want to come with me anyway. You don't need to worry about that. I'm fine, I'm sure." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded, happy.

"Wait, you know about what happened last time?" Joe questioned as he looked up at Nathan with a frown and Nathan nodded as he looked back to Joe with a calm expression, confused by his shock and need to know. "When did you find out? She didn't want anyone to know." Joe said as he grew more confused.

"This morning" Nathan said softly and Joe looked back to Zoë and thought to himself.

His eyes then moved up to Horatio as Horatio studied him. "Will she press charges now that Nathan knows?" Joe questioned and Horatio shrugged.

"I don't know." Horatio simply said and Joe exhaled and nodded with his frown deepening.

"If she doesn't press charges by the time I move down here, I'm paying him another visit." Joe mumbled and Horatio's gentle expression turned into a displeased frown.

"You can't do that, you know how much it upset her the first time. You know I can't allow that to happen as much as I wouldn't mind. You can't put her in that position, if you said 'you either charge him or I nearly kill him' you'll stress her out a phenomenal amount. She needs to make the decision, she doesn't need you forcing her to do something, especially after this." Horatio warned and Joe nodded after seeing the seriousness in Horatio's eyes. '_He is quite an intimidating man when he wants to be.'_ Joe thought to himself.

"I know, but it's hard to resist. He needs to be punished." Joe grumbled as he looked down to his phone in his hands.

"I agree, but it's her choice." Horatio sighed as he put his head back, feeling his head pound as his stress rose again.

"I take it that you've had a go at Ryan then?" Nathan asked and Joe nodded silently. Nathan watched his eyes burn hot as Joe thought back to the situation.

"He lost it, I did to. But he wasn't seriously hurt." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded as he looked back to Horatio.

"What exactly did he do to her? Why is she cutting herself?" Nathan questioned.

"I'm not going into that Nathan, what she's told you is only what I'll tell you." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded when he saw Horatio's frustration.

"I'll be back with your coffee." He said softly and Horatio nodded slowly as he looked back down to Zoë.

"Joe, would you like one?" Nathan asked and he nodded.

"Thank you." He said softly and Nathan nodded before walking out.

"So it was about Ryan this morning?" Joe asked and Horatio nodded silently as he watched Zoë stir.

"Go and ask Daddy" Zoë mumbled in her sleep and Horatio took a deep breath as she watched her squirm more. She then sat up and woke herself up. She turned to Horatio quickly with a tired expression.

"Emily wants to go to the beach." She mumbled as she looked up at Horatio.

"We're in hospital sweetheart, Emily was a part of a dream." Horatio said softly as he reached up and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers and she nodded after thinking for a few moments.

"Oh yeah." She sighed and then Horatio sighed with a gentle expression. He then watched her push the blanket away as she turned to face him as she placed her hands on his thighs. "I'm bored." She said softly as she tilted her head at him.

"Alexx brought over some puzzle books to keep us occupied, do you want to have a go at them?" Horatio asked and she nodded. Joe quickly got up and handed them a book and a pen.

"You're welcome to one as well." Horatio said softly and Joe nodded with a gentle, appreciative smile.

"Thank you, I think I'll take you up on that offer." He said softly and Horatio gave him a small smile, he could see the boredom in his eyes.

"Don't do–" Zoë began as she looked over to Joe but was cut off.

"Your puzzles, I know Bunny. I don't like your puzzles anyway." He smiled at her and she nodded and then smiled as she looked back down at the book and pen in Horatio's hand.

"Do you want to come and sit here?" Horatio asked softly as he patted the bed beside him. She shook her head and then moved to sit between his legs again and sat right up against him. She raised her knees up high and he placed the book on her thighs as he looked over her shoulder. He placed his chin on her shoulder and felt her hands on his thighs as he put his arms around her. He held the book still with his left hand while he held the pen in his right. They did the puzzles together, Horatio and Joe were amazed at her mental capabilities, they didn't think that she'd be able to do half of the puzzles but she proved them wrong. Nathan walked back in with some paperwork and coffee then smiled when he saw them all doing some puzzles. Horatio and Joe looked up at him and thanked him for the coffee while Zoë continued to look down at the puzzle, concentrating hard.

"Mmm" Zoë moaned when Horatio wasn't concentrating so he quickly looked back down over her shoulder and began to stroke her forearm.

"How are you getting on with that Zoë?" Nathan asked as he strolled over to them.

"Mm" she grunted at him and he knew she was concentrating.

Horatio glanced up at Nathan as Nathan looked down at Zoë with a smile, happy to see her doing so well. "She's doing well, nothing's changed. I think I'm struggling more than Zoë. You're not struggling with these at all, are you?" Horatio smiled as he looked back over her shoulder and she shook her head as she told him to write an answer to one of the questions.

"Your coffee is on the side." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded, keeping his concentration on the book otherwise Zoë would get pissed again.

"Thank you." Horatio said softly. Nathan then sat down and began some paperwork.

There was silence in the room as each of them concentrated on the task at hand. "May I go to the loo?" Zoë asked as she turned her head to Horatio and he nodded with a gentle smile.

"Of course, do you want a hand?" Horatio asked and she shook her head as she began to move. "Okay sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he moved to let her freely get off the bed. She turned to him and looked up at him with a shy expression. "Are you sure you don't want me to come?" He asked as she placed her hands over the top of the trousers.

"Can you just undo the trousers please?" She asked and Horatio nodded and then undid them for her. She held them up as she walked away and into the bathroom, happy. She came back out and then looked up at Horatio again. He quickly did the trousers up and tied the strings so they didn't fall down. She climbed back up, equally as happy as she was when she left and then picked up the book again.

"Can we go soon?" She asked as she looked up at Nathan.

"Not just yet sweet. We need to get that pressure in your head right down." Nathan said softly and she nodded as Horatio began to attach the wires to her head again.

"Hold still sweetheart." Horatio said softly as she began to move while he was connecting the wires and she froze. "There you go sweetheart, well done." He praised her softly and she began to move again.

She picked up the pen off the bed and tried to write something as Horatio gently rubbed her thighs. "Mmm!" She moaned as she looked back up and threw the pen across the room. Horatio realised that she wasn't able to write when he looked down at the scribble on the paper.

"It's okay Zoë." Horatio whispered into her ear as she picked up the book and threw it to the end of the bed. He wrapped his arms around her waist, hoping she wouldn't stand up and go ballistic.

"I'm a moron!" She cried as she got up to her knees and turned to Horatio. She hugged him tightly and rubbed her head against his to disturb his hair so she could get a fresh whiff of his shampoo.

"You're not a moron beautiful, it'll come back to you." He said softly as Nathan got up and picked the pen up. He then walked back over to the bed and placed the pen down with a calming expression.

"You're not a moron, you've been through major trauma Zoë and not being able to write is not a big deal." Nathan said softly as he reached out and placed his hand on her upper back.

She turned her head and scowled up at him. "You're not a big deal!" She raised her voice at him and then hugged Horatio tighter as she turned her head back to him.

"Not so hard please, Zoë." Horatio said softly and she loosened her grip a little. Nathan backed off and let her get on with it. Horatio threaded his fingers in her hair and he felt her calm down.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart, it'll come back to you." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she pulled away from him as she took a deep breath.

"Where's the iPad?" She asked as she turned back around and sat in his lap and leant back against him as if nothing had just happened.

"It's at home, but I can get someone to pick it up for you if you want?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she began to play with a hairband.

"Okay sweetheart, I'll text Alexx or Eric." Horatio said as he pulled her phone from his pocket. He got a reply of Alexx fairly quickly and she was round within 30 minutes with it. Horatio managed to keep Zoë entertained for half an hour with the TV and a few quick card games.

"Here you go baby girl." She said as she handed Zoë the iPad.

"Thank you Alexx." She smiled as she gave Alexx a quick hug. She sat back down between Horatio's legs and then began to play Angry Birds as Alexx walked back over to Nathan, wanting an update.

"My hands aren't working properly Horatio." She said as she glanced round to him as Alexx spoke quietly to Nathan.

"How about you use my hands but you move them where you want them?" Horatio asked and she nodded. She used his finger as she took hold of his hand and used his finger to pull the birds back and then release them. Nathan got up and walked over to them with a frown plastered all over his face.

"Can I have a look at your hands please Zoë?" He asked softly as he placed his hands on the bed. She looked up at him with a sweet expression.

"They're okay, they've been like it since the poison." She said softly and Nathan looked to Horatio and he nodded, confirming what Zoë was saying. "It's not a problem, they just don't do what I want them to do sometimes, only with fine motor skills, it doesn't affect anything like when my finger is on the trigger of my gun. It's like when I try and tie things up, my mind goes blank, that's what it's doing now when I'm trying to tell my hands to do something. However, it doesn't usually do it when I use the iPad or anything." She said softly and Nathan nodded and then walked back over to Alexx, happy that nothing was seriously wrong. She seemed content in using Horatio's hands. Horatio watched her play the game until she got bored of it 40 minutes later and Alexx had left.

"Can we play chess?" She asked as she turned around to look at Horatio and Horatio nodded with a gentle expression. She turned fully in his lap and then placed the iPad down on her knees and began to play. After a few games and with Horatio winning twice and Zoë once she looked over to Joe. Joe looked up at her as Horatio looked at her and they could see her thinking.

"Play against Joe." She said as she looked back to Horatio.

"Why don't you play against Joe?" He asked softly, wanting her to engage in play rather than himself as he knew she'd probably get bored.

"No, he beats me all the time. You play him." She smiled and Horatio looked to Joe, they both then nodded at each other. Joe got up and sat on the edge of the bed beside Zoë, facing Horatio.

"I'm not sure who would win out of you two." She said softly as she placed the iPad on the bed between them. She watched them play and they both won twice each. Nathan had also been sucked in and watched them play the heated 5th game.

"$10 on Horatio" Zoë grinned up at Nathan.

"I'll raise you to $20 on Joe." Nathan smiled.

"$30" she grinned and she then reached out and shook Nathan's hand as he gave her a challenging nod. "Now you have to win, Horatio." She grinned at him and he smiled at her. They were coming close to the end of the game when Zoë was getting way too into the game and becoming more competitive, she was nearly sitting on the iPad she'd edged so close to it. "Come on Horatio, you can beat him." Zoë grinned enthusiastically as she took hold of his sleeve and watched the iPad. Horatio took another move and claimed another of Joe's pieces, only for Joe to attack back and claim Horatio's piece. "No, Horatio win! Win Horatio." She said as she rose to her knees and started to tense as she reached over and pushed Joe away. Horatio quickly took hold of her wrists and gently pulled her back towards him and silently apologised to Joe.

"I knew what I was getting myself into anyway, don't worry Horatio. It's not the worst I've had to put up with." Joe smiled softly as Zoë pulled out of Horatio's arms and looked down at the iPad.

"Come on Horatio." She said before she bit her lip and rose to her knee's again and placed her hand on Horatio's shoulder.

"Calm down Zoë or we'll have to stop." Horatio said softly and she shook her head and then sat back down, calming herself. He smiled at her and then moved again. Joe then took his turn and found he was stuck, so he just moved another piece.

"Go there" Zoë pointed when she leant over to him.

"Ouch, Zoë, Zoë please move your hand." He gasped as he took hold of her wrist and gritted his teeth together as he raised his knees. He took another deep breath as Joe and Nathan looked over to him to see what the problem was.

"Zoë, move you hand please." Horatio begged and she looked round to him and sat back up and realised she'd been leaning on his privates.

She lightly bit her lip and blinked a few times. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise." She said as she looked up at him and raised a hand to her lips and began to run her fingertips over her bottom lip.

"It's okay sweetheart, just try and look where you're putting your hands next time, yes?" Horatio asked softly as he recovered and she nodded as she dropped her hand from her mouth and looked back to the iPad.

"If you want children, you can't be doing that again." Joe said sarcasitcally up at Zoë and she frowned, growing concerned.

"Don't worry sweetheart, no harm done." He smiled and then pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. She then smiled at him and looked up at Nathan.

"We can still have children can't we?" She asked innocently and sweetly and Nathan chuckled as he crossed his arms, amused.

"Yes Zoë, that isn't going to decrease your chances." He said softly and she nodded and then looked back down.

"It's your go Joe." She said as she looked up at him. Horatio finally won the game and Zoë hugged him excitedly.

"I'll get you that $30 a little later." He smiled at her and she grinned back at him.

"You're the first person I've seen beat Joe at chess…" Zoë said as she looked back at Horatio.

"Really? I didn't think I was that good at it at all." He said softly as he ran the back of his knuckles over her soft cheek.

"You're a freaking genius!" She grinned at him as she placed both hands upon his shoulders.

"Calm down, the game is over now." Horatio smiled when he could see that she was so happy. She nodded and sat back, slowly calming herself down.

"Well done Horatio" Joe said as he held his hand out and they shook hands with gentle smiles.

"Well done to you too." He replied as Zoë sat back in his lap and began to play a driving game on the iPad. Joe got up and returned back to his seat, happy to see Zoë back to her old very competitive self.

"Is that wise? You know what you're like with electronics which aren't glued down to the floor or a hard surface…" Joe smiled at her but she didn't even hear him. Horatio chuckled instead as he began to rub her back. A few minutes later they all watched the iPad slip out of her grip and fly off the bed. Joe darted forwards and caught it before it hit the floor. He exhaled a deep breath and then stood up with it. He gave her a 'I told you so' expression as he held it out to her. "I warned you." He said softly with a smile and she smiled up at him.

"Thank you" she said as she took it from his hands.

"How about we play a game that doesn't involve the iPad being thrown around?" Horatio asked softly as he sat forwards so his chest made contact with her back and she nodded. She sat back with him and then put the iPad on her thighs as she brought her knees up. "How about we watch one of the films?" Horatio asked and she nodded. He clicked on the video library and then looked through them.

"Knocked up?" She questioned as she placed her hand over his lightly and stopped him from scrolling.

"Perhaps a different one?" Horatio asked warmly and she nodded and then scrolled down.

"Donnie Darko!" She said with a smile as she glanced back to him before looking back to the iPad.

"If you want." Horatio said softly and she clicked on it and then rested her head back on his chest. She then took hold of his hand and pulled her top up. He pulled it back down with his right hand while he stroked her skin with his left hand. With his right hand he then began to stroke her forearm and he felt her fall asleep quickly. Nathan walked out to attend an emergency.

"You knew she'd fall asleep, didn't you?" Joe asked and Horatio looked round and then nodded with a secret smile.

Joe sat forwards and looked curiously up at Horatio. "Can I ask you something?" Joe asked and Horatio nodded at him.

"Does she let you stroke her back without clothing being on?" Joe asked simply.

"Yes, why?" He said softly as he tilted his head, wanting to know his reasoning for the question.

"No reason really. I just wanted to know because no-one has ever been able to stroke her back. I saw you rubbing her back earlier and she didn't even tense, so that's why I asked. She always tenses whenever someone touches her back, even if it's barely noticeable. I used to try and give her back massages when she had a bad back from working out too much or when she was stressed but she wouldn't let me. Michael also could never stroke her back without it causing problems. I was just a little confused as you're the only one that I've seen stroke her back without her flipping out. I just wanted to know whether you could touch her back without clothing because if she does, then that means she honestly trusts you and thinks the world of you. It gives me comfort in knowing that she trusts and loves you that much. So I guess the reason is for my own comfort, I want to know that she's truly happy, which she clearly is." He said softly, levelling with Horatio. Horatio raised his eyebrows as he looked at Joe. "You really must mean a lot to her, certainly more than what I thought anyway. I take my hat off to you, Horatio. Thank you." Joe said softly as he looked to Zoë tenderly.

"I've always been able to stroke her back and give her back massages, I didn't think she had much of a problem with it unless she didn't really know the person touching her back." Horatio said softly as he continued to skim his fingertips over her abdomen.

"She must've been absolutely head over heels at the start for you then; she doesn't just let anyone touch her back and for you to be able to give her back massages… that's an incredible feat in my eyes. I still can't understand how comfortable she is with you, I applaud you, I really do. I've always wanted her to find someone she could be herself around, someone who'd make her feel at ease all the time and more importantly someone to love her back as much as she loved them. It's clear that you love her just as much as she loves you. I've honestly never seen her so in love before, not even with Michael, not even with her dog… and she _loved_ her dog." Joe said softly.

"Thank you" Horatio said softly as he continued to stroke her stomach with a smile as he looked down at Zoë, incredibly happy with what Joe was saying to him. For some reason he felt like he had Joe's blessing, he knew that Joe meant a lot to her, he knew that they were practically family, so his blessing did mean a lot to him.

"She's come a long way since New York, thank you for that." He said softly and Horatio gave him a shy smile as he glanced back over to Joe. He looked back to Zoë and saw her legs slowly falling back to the bed, causing the iPad to slip off her thighs. Horatio quickly grabbed the iPad and turned the film off. He placed it on the table beside the bed and then looked back over to Joe with curiosity in his eyes. He could see that Joe was comfortable with him and he felt comfortable in asking his oncoming question.

"Didn't she ask you to walk her down the aisle at her wedding with Mike?" Horatio asked softly and Joe shook his head as he sat forwards more, engaging with Horatio more.

"She knew I didn't get on with him and she knew I wasn't entirely happy about her marrying him so she didn't ask. It was only a small wedding as well, it wasn't a big church one like yours, they wanted to keep it on the down low with only a couple of people there. Obviously I went and supported her, but… you know." Joe said softly and Horatio lowered his eyebrows as he studied Joe.

"There's things she says that makes me question why she married him in the first place." Horatio mumbled, Joe scoffed, completely agreeing with Horatio.

"I personally don't think it was her best decision, but she did love him and he loved her. Perhaps not so much though, I think he saw her more as a trophy wife, he loved showing her off to others as if she was a prize, he liked to see the jealousy in other men's eyes. But he did treat her right, he treated her with respect and she was happy so I can't fault him there, but their relationship wasn't perfect, she'd always run back to him though. They always had their arguments or he'd upset her. I hated that, every time he upset her she'd need my comfort, she could have been in a mess but she'd always go back to him. He never appreciated her fully, he never understood what she'd been through; he was basically a huge twat. He was spoilt and never understood the concept of money. Obviously, having a wife with millions was a bonus for him. That wasn't exactly his fault though, he grew up in an extremely wealthy family and was extremely spoilt as a child. I can't blame him for that, but he could have been much more understanding of her and cared whenever she had a problem with her past or something that brought her past back, I had to deal with all of that when he should have been there for her. His childhood was almost the complete opposite to hers and so he couldn't understand her sometimes, he didn't share her compassion for others and he never gave her the comfort that she needed. To this day I question why she fell for him, but I guess love is love, you can't change that. I can't say I'm glad he was killed, it was horrible, but the best thing in her life came out of that event and that was her decision to move down here where she met you. You're the best thing in her life since her uncle. I just hope that you don't change once you're married to her, because if you turn out to be like him, then I'm sorry but I will not stand back and let her get hurt again." Joe warned and Horatio sat there for a few moments, taking it all in before he frowned at Joe's last comment. He felt a burning hot rage deep within his stomach grow as his frown turned into a nasty scowl. Joe swallowed again when he realised he'd struck a chord again. '_I knew I should have left that last comment out!'_ He thought to himself.

"I cherish every single breath of air she takes, every movement she makes and every single word that comes out of her mouth, even if it's hurtful. She's the best thing in my life and I will always love her unconditionally, there's going to be things that I'll do that'll hurt her, but it'll only be in her best interests and it will be work related. No relationship is perfect, but I will always do my best to keep her safe and give her everything she wants and needs, whether that's a hug or if she wants to move to a different country and have children, I'll support her in everything she wants to do because I've come so close to losing her that every minute with her is special. Do not make threats against me because this won't work otherwise. I do not appreciate you accusing me of doing something that'll intentionally hurt her, I do not want to make her choose between us if we were to fall out because I'm sure I know who she'd pick and that wouldn't be in your favour." Horatio growled at him and Joe noticed Horatio getting very defensive and even aggressive.

"I'm sorry Horatio, I didn't mean to cause offense, I was just saying that I'm not going to stand back and watch her get hurt. I get so wound up when I talk of Michael, I didn't mean to say that, it came out before I even thought about it, I know you'd never hurt her." Joe said as he stood and took a step back, raising his hands in submission.

"I would never hurt her." Horatio growled at him and Joe nodded as he swallowed, he feared that Horatio was going to fly off the handle as Nathan did warn him that both Zoë and Horatio could experience outbursts.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

"I'm sorry Horatio." Joe said as he took another step back. Horatio violently exhaled and then looked back to Zoë and kissed the top of her head, he tried to calm himself. Joe could see that Horatio was tense and that he was obviously fighting against something, he knew Horatio could easily blow and didn't want to be subject to that at all. "I'm going to get a coffee, would you like one?" Joe asked quietly and Horatio shook his head as he placed his mouth and nose on the top of Zoë's head and inhaled her scent. He closed his eyes as Joe left and listened to Zoë's gentle breathing, both of which combined calmed him once Joe had left. '_Why did I get so angry over nothing?'_ He questioned himself, confused. '_I guess that's what Zoë gets, perhaps a little more extreme and intense though.'_ Horatio thought to himself. He opened his eyes when Zoë began to move a little. He kissed the top of her head again and began to rub her stomach to try and calm her.

"Mmm Horatio." Zoë moaned as her legs began to flail.

"You're okay sweetheart." Horatio whispered against her head as he began to stroke the skin on her ribs as well in hope of covering a larger surface area of skin would calm her more.

"Horatio" she moaned again and then suddenly woke. She quickly sat up and looked around and frowned at Horatio.

He reached up and tucked her loose hair behind her ear. "Alright?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded as she turned to him fully with a smile. She moved closer and straddled him as she placed her hands on his shoulders with a mischievous smile.

"Good or bad dream?" He asked softly as he placed his hands on her waist with a wide smile tugging at his lips as her smile had relaxed him completely.

"Good, it was a sex dream and you were being naughty." She grinned at him and he chuckled as he rubbed her waist gently. She then quickly glanced around with a frantic expression when she realised they weren't at home.

"Don't worry, we're alone." Horatio said softly and she looked back to him and then placed a surprising kiss on his lips as her fingers threaded into his hair.

"What was I doing then?" Horatio asked with a boyish grin when she pulled back slightly. They both glanced at each other's lips with grins before their eyes met once more and locked on to each other.

"You were giving me a good seeing too in the car." She grinned at him as she put her forehead against his as she looked into his eyes and rubbed her nose against his with a brilliant smile.

"In the car?" Horatio asked curiously as he raised his eyebrows and nuzzled her nose gently as he made sure she wasn't putting too much pressure on her forehead.

"Yeah, we were in your car on our way somewhere and all of a sudden you were making love to me hard on the backseat, your hands where everywhere and you were literally rocking the car. Oh my gosh, I'm turning myself on just thinking about it." She grinned and then kissed him again, passionately.

"That sounds like something that we can put into action." Horatio grinned boyishly and she began to giggle.

"That would make my dreams come true." She grinned and he chuckled as he ran his hands up her spine. She bit her lip as Horatio kissed the corner of her lips lightly. "You're turning me on, Horatio." She grinned as she pulled back and lightly placed her hands on his chest as she bit her lip again and looked at him alluringly. He could see the glimmer in her eyes.

"You're turning me on too, but we can't do anything about it sweetheart." Horatio said softly.

"I know" she sighed as she looked down to his lips.

"I love sex dreams about you." She grinned and Horatio smiled as she lifted her head.

"I love sex dreams about you too, but I prefer the real thing." He smiled as he rubbed his nose against her and then pulled her closer and pulled the back of her shirt up and began to stroke her back. She began to giggle and nuzzle him.

"When can we get out of here?" She asked softly, feeling Horatio's hands sweep over the skin on her back.

"Hopefully soon." Horatio said softly and she nodded.

"We're going to have to set another date for the wedding, aren't we?" She asked with a sigh as she pulled back slightly and Horatio nodded with a gentle expression.

"Yes sweetheart, it won't be too much trouble." Horatio said softly and she nodded.

"Are you okay?" She asked him and he nodded. She tilted her head as she ran her hands lightly over the middle of his chest, up to his neck where she linked her fingers behind his neck.

"Are you sure? You seem stressed and tense." She said warmly.

"I'm okay sweetheart." Horatio assured her as he placed both hands back on her waist with a set gentle smile.

"No you're not, don't lie to me Horatio. What's happened?" She asked beginning to worry.

He saw that she was beginning to worry so thought it was best to come clean with her. "It's really nothing sweetheart, Joe and I just had a conversation that I overreacted too. Don't worry though, he didn't mean anything, I just had one of those moments that Nathan was describing. We're both good though, he's just gone for a coffee." Horatio said softly.

"What were you talking about? Are you sure you're okay?" Zoë asked as she ran her thumb over his cheek as her eyes searched his eyes and his face.

"I'm sure sweetheart, he was just saying that I had better not change once we're married because he doesn't want me to hurt you in anyway. I overreacted because I'd never hurt you intentionally and I got a little too defensive. I don't like it when people think that I'd do anything to hurt you. But it's okay, we're good." Horatio said softly and she exhaled as she looked down at his chest.

"He shouldn't be saying things like that. He knows you wouldn't hurt me." Zoë exhaled, clearly not too happy.

"I understand why he's protective, he wants the best for you just like me. It's okay, we're okay." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked back up to him with a kind smile. "Don't blame him for anything, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded again and then kissed him, lightly.

"Why are you still tense then?" She asked softly as she pulled back and frowned mildly as she ran a hand lightly over his chest and felt his muscles tense slightly.

"I'm not too sure, but I'm feeling relaxed now that you're awake, especially since you were telling me about that dream." He smiled, changing the subject and she chuckled as she relaxed. She bit her lip as Horatio watched her facial expression change within seconds.

"I want to go home Horatio." She said softly as she looked at him with a brooding expression while she leant on his chest a little more.

"I know sweetheart, I know." Horatio said softly as he continued to rub her back hoping to remove the gloomy expression from her face. He removed one hand and gently pulled her hands from his chest when he felt pain course around his rib cage.

"Please, can we just go?" She asked him as she furrowed her brow while he placed his hand back on her side while his other caressed her spine.

"We can't unfortunately beautiful, hopefully we're only here for a couple more days." Horatio said softly and she sighed as she pursed her lips and looked down at his top button.

"I will discharge myself if we're here much longer." She said as she sat back a little.

"You can't do that sweetheart, Nathan needs to keep an eye on you for the meantime, the pressure in your head is slightly elevated, you know that needs monitoring." He said softly and she looked over to the monitor.

"It's within the normal ranges now, it's on the higher end, but it's normal." She said as she looked back to Horatio.

"We'll talk to Nathan when he comes in next then, yes?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then looked back just as Nathan walked through the door and her facial expression changed dramatically again to a stealthy, determined expression.

"Speak of the devil." She smiled at him as she sat up straight just as Horatio pulled her top back down and placed his hands on her waist.

"What do you want?" He smiled at them with a half-smile as he walked over to the bed and then leant on it with a playful expression when he saw her expression change to a playful expression.

"Can I go?" She asked and Nathan shook his head gently as he stood back up.

"Not just yet, Zoë." He said softly.

"But why? I don't understand why you're keeping me here." Zoë said as she placed her hand back on Horatio's shoulder as she lowered her eyebrows.

"I need to make sure that you're well enough to cope at home." Nathan said softly as he crossed his arms.

"I can though." She said as she tilted her head and crossed her arms too.

"I need to make sure Zoë." He said as he placed his hand on her back after unfolding his arms.

"How are you making sure though? How will you know? I think I can cope just fine." She said as she looked up at him with a mild frown.

"For starters, I need to make sure that you can wash and go to the loo on your own, I need to make sure that you're not a danger to yourself, I need to make sure that the pressure in your head is stable, I need to make sure that your outbursts aren't getting worse and I need to make sure that you aren't putting too much stress on Horatio." He said softly as he exhaled. She tilted her head at him.

"I'm not putting stress on you, am I?" She asked quietly as she looked round to Horatio and he shook his head and readied himself to speak, but Nathan beat him to it.

"Zoë you need to understand that both of you have sustained head injuries, if I sent you home now with Horatio, I could be giving Horatio too much responsibility and he could become extremely stressed, especially as he has to almost force you to dress. It's not just you that feels a little mixed up at the moment, Horatio is feeling like that too, whether he admits it or not. Getting you to eat, to dress, making sure you're okay when you shower or when you eat is a lot of responsibility for someone who's just come round from a coma." Nathan said softly.

"But I am eating properly." She argued as she looked up at Nathan with furrowed eyebrows.

"Yes, but you won't eat your food, you'll only eat Horatio's food, you've become very attached to Horatio and if I was to send you home right now, he wouldn't have the time to rest or have his own space if he needs it. I just want to keep you in here a little longer until I'm happy that both of you will be able to cope." Nathan said and she looked back to Horatio as her eyes watered.

"I'm so sorry" she said before she burst into tears and leant forwards to wrap her arms around his neck. She buried her head into the side of his neck and sobbed. Horatio looked up at Nathan, displeased.

"Sorry" Nathan mouthed silently to Horatio.

"It's okay sweetheart, it's nothing to get upset about, you're not putting stress on me. Don't worry about it." Horatio assured her and she sat back up with a torrent of tears falling from her eyes.

"But Nathan said that I am" she sobbed as she shook her head and then moved back closer to him and hugged as she sobbed into his shoulder. He rubbed her back as he felt and listened to her erratic breathing.

"Nathan's just being overcautious, what he means is that if we're both sent home too early, we could both get stressed, it can be quite difficult to get you to dress, but that's it." Horatio tried assuring her but it didn't make her feel any better. Horatio glanced up at Nathan and wasn't pleased with his choice of words at all. She sat back after a few moments and wiped her tears as they fell while she looked Horatio in the eye.

"But I only have to dress here because others are around, we're alone at home, no-one is around." She said and Horatio could see her point as he tilted his head and nodded slowly.

"That isn't the point sweet, if you were to have visitors or wanted to go out, I need to be sure that you're not going to make it difficult for Horatio." Nathan said softly and she pushed his hand from her back.

"I want to go home, I don't like it here." She said as she looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"I know sweet, but–" he started as he placed his hands on his hips.

"No! I want to go! I won't make it difficult for Horatio, I just want to go." She begged him and he sighed as he shook his head. '_I'm not going to get through to her, am I?'_ Nathan thought to himself.

"You can't say you won't make it difficult, you don't even realise when you're a little stubborn." Nathan said softly as he tried to reach out for her again.

"Don't touch me" she raised her voice as she pushed his hand away again and he stepped back whilst he held his hands up in submission.

"I'm sorry sweet." Nathan said softly and she began to pull at the bandages on her right hand again.

"He's not going to hurt you beautiful." Horatio said softly as he pulled her hands apart and then began to rub her right hand. She looked back to him and exhaled, relaxing a little more. Nathan saw her really relax when Horatio kissed the palm of her hand. She hugged him again and continued to sob, partially through frustration.

"Look, I'll see how you are tomorrow, and I'll think about letting you both go tomorrow, okay?" Nathan asked and she pulled from the hug and looked up at him.

"Later." She asked, trying to bargain with him.

"No, tomorrow. I'm not negotiating with you, tomorrow is final, okay?" Nathan said firmly and she exhaled and then nodded. She looked to Horatio as she tried to cheer herself up and let him wipe the tears from her eyes and cheeks. They turned when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Nathan called and one of the police officers poked their head around the door.

"Someone called Kaitlin, is she allowed in?" The officer asked and Zoë nodded as she turned in Horatio's lap and Kaitlin walked in with Joe following with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"Kate!" Zoë said with an excited smile. Nathan quickly pulled the wires from her head and she sprang out of the bed and bounced over to Kaitlin, excitedly.

"Hey gorgeous, you're looking so much better." She smiled as Zoë quickly approached her with open arms.

"I've missed you." Zoë said as she wrapped her arms around Kaitlin's small body.

"I've missed you too, Zoë." She said as she wrapped her arms around Zoë's small body. They held the hug for a few moments.

"Are you okay? Where's Jess?" Zoë questioned as they pulled back from the hug. Zoë studied Kaitlin's wide blue eyes and wavy blonde hair as she took hold of Zoë's hands.

"I'm good thank you gorgeous, Jess has gone back to New York, Joe explained that you warned him. How did you know?" She asked as she hugged Zoë again before taking hold of her hands again and looking up into Zoë's bright brown eyes.

"I don't know, I just got the feeling and I saw her trying it on with James in a dream or something. I always thought she was jealous of our partners, she also gave me a bad feeling when we were at your house a few times in New York, like her eyes didn't move off James." She said softly and Kaitlin gave her a smile. Horatio and Joe gave each other a silent nod to clear any hard feelings away.

"Well you were right, James didn't give her any attention though." Kaitlin smiled as she gently ran her thumbs over Zoë's hands as she did the same to Kaitlin's hands.

"I knew he wouldn't. But you're okay yeah?" Zoë asked softly and she nodded with a gentle smile.

"How about you? Are you okay?" She asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better thank you, we'll hopefully be home soon. Are you still at ours?" Zoë asked softly and Kaitlin nodded.

"Are you sure you're okay? Have you been crying?" She asked as she rubbed Zoë's arm before reaching up and wiping a tear from the corner of Zoë's eye.

"I just had a disagreement with Nathan, but it's all sorted." She said softly as she nodded and then looked down as she quickly wiped her eyes.

"He's treating you right, isn't he?" Kaitlin asked quietly and Zoë nodded as she looked back up to Kaitlin.

"Yeah, I just want to go home, he wants me to stay." She said softly and Kaitlin nodded with a kind smile as she looked at the wound on the side of Zoë's head as well as the swelling on her forehead.

"You need to listen to him babe; he knows what he's doing." Kaitlin said softly and Zoë nodded, silently. "Well let me know when you're coming home because I'll get a hotel with Joe." She said softly as she looked back into Zoë's eyes.

"There's no need, you can stay with us." Zoë said softly.

"Zoë, you're going to need your space sweet, a hotel is a good idea." Nathan said softly and quietly and Kaitlin looked over to him and nodded.

"See, a hotel is fine, don't worry about it, we'll be fine." She smiled back at Zoe.

"Are you sure?" Zoë asked and Kaitlin nodded confidently. "I've really missed you." Zoë said as she moved to hug her again.

"I know gorgeous, I have too, but I can't tell you how happy I am now that you're up and well." She smiled and Zoë nodded and then smiled shyly at her before giving her a kiss on the cheek as Kaitlin did the same. They pulled back and Kaitlin looked down at Zoë's right hand, having got over the excitement of seeing Zoë up and well.

"What happened to your hand? It wasn't bandaged up when I saw you last." She said as she took hold of Zoë's right hand.

"Mmm" Zoë moaned as she took a step back from Kaitlin and towards Horatio. Horatio quickly moved to sit on the edge of the bed and she backed off to stand between his legs. He took her hand in his and began to rub it. She looked down and shook her head as Kaitlin began to panic that she'd upset Zoë.

"I'm sorry gorgeous." She said as Zoë turned and wrapped her arms around Horatio. Joe moved closer to Kaitlin and rubbed her back to give her some comfort as he could see Kaitlin becoming highly distressed and upset.

"You're okay." Horatio whispered to her and she took a deep breath as Horatio rubbed her back and gave Kaitlin a reassuring smile. Kaitlin looked to Joe and he nodded at her. Horatio looked back down to Zoë and kissed the top of her head tentatively.

"Horatio, thank you for saving my girl. I owe you big time." She said as she stepped forwards and Horatio looked up at her.

"What do you mean?" Zoë asked quietly as she turned in Horatio's arms, but held them so he still wrapped his arms around her

"He saved you gorgeous, he put his arms over you to try and keep you in your seat. He saved your life. For that I owe him, I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you." Kaitlin said softly as she looked round to Horatio and Horatio nodded at her with a gentle smile. "Apparently if he hadn't have done that you'd be dead." Kaitlin said quietly as she looked down. "So, thank you Horatio." She said as she stepped forwards again and held her hand out. Horatio shook her hand and gave her a smile and then wrapped his arm back around Zoë's waist.

Zoë turned back to Horatio and looked up at him with soft eyes. "Thank you" Zoë said before she placed a delicate kiss on his lips. He gave her a small smile and then kissed her nose gently which caused her to giggle. Kaitlin stepped back as a wide smile formed across her face when she saw and heard Zoë giggle and how happy she was as she looked up at Horatio. Joe had the same happy smile plastered on his face as he watched Horatio kiss her nose again which caused her to giggle more. He looked down at his feet, trying to hide his amusement and his happiness. He let Zoë's giggle fill his ears, as did Horatio, Kaitlin and Nathan. Horatio smiled at her as she reached up and pulled him closer to place another kiss on his lips.

"We have company, sweetheart." Horatio reminded her quietly and she pulled her head away, realising she'd got too into the kissing. She turned around and studied all of their smiles as they looked down at their feet. '_I wish I could find someone to share that with.'_ Both Nathan and Joe admitted to themselves. '_I wish James was here now.'_ Kaitlin thought to herself.

"How are you and James?" Zoë asked softly and they all looked up at her with their wide smiles.

"We're great thank you, got some catching up to do, but we'll leave that 'till later." Kaitlin smiled and Zoë smiled back at her and began to play with her fingers.

"Good things?" Zoë asked and Kaitlin nodded and Zoë's smile grew, she then ticked and Kaitlin frowned at her.

"Okay, Kaitlin, I think it's time we leave Zoë to get some rest." Joe said softly as he moved closer towards Kaitlin as Horatio began to rub Zoë's stomach.

"Are you okay?" She asked and Zoë nodded and then ticked again. She let out a moan and then turned in Horatio's arms and looked up at him.

"Kaitlin, we should give her some space, come on." Joe said a little more firmly as he stepped in front of Kaitlin, partially shielding her view of Zoe.

"Okay, I'll see you later gorgeous, let me know when you're coming out." She said softly and Zoë turned again and nodded just as the ticking got worse. Kaitlin looked at her and was then pulled out by Joe. Joe quickly closed the door behind him and released Kaitlin's arm.

"I'm sorry Kate." Joe apologised as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Is she okay?" Kaitlin asked Joe and he nodded, he dropped his hand to his waist and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Yes, she's still having some difficulties, she needs her space for the moment." Joe said softly and Kaitlin nodded with a slight frown.

"It was good to see her though, I was afraid that she'd hate me or wouldn't recognise me." Kaitlin said softly and Joe gave her another reassuring smile.

"I know, she's doing well though, hopefully she'll be allowed home soon." Joe said softly and Kaitlin nodded.

"Can I go and say a proper goodbye?" She asked and Joe shook his head.

"That's not such a good idea, I'll give her your goodbye though. It's not a good idea if you go back in there for a moment." Joe said softly and Kaitlin nodded as she looked down.

"Can you just tell me why?" Kaitlin asked softly as she looked back up to Joe with a frown.

"She's very stressed and I think she wants or needs something, her language can get pretty bad when she's having one of these ticking episodes, I don't want you to experience that, it's not nice. She can't help it though." Joe said softly and Kaitlin nodded.

"Okay, as long as she's okay though." Kaitlin said softly and Joe nodded as he rubbed her upper arm.

"Are you okay to get back on your own?" Joe asked and she nodded as she gave him a kind smile. "Okay then, I'll see you soon darling, well done and thank you for coming to see her. She really does appreciate it." Joe said softly as he hugged her.

"Give her a kiss and hug please." Kaitlin said softly and Joe nodded and then watched her walk away after they broke from the hug. He sighed and then walked back in, readying himself for whatever Zoë was going to throw at them.

"She okay?" Joe asked when he didn't see Zoë about and they nodded.

"She just wanted the loo." Horatio said softly and Joe nodded. '_Oh, Kaitlin could have said bye after all, she should be fine after the loo.'_ Joe thought to himself. He then turned to Horatio with a guilty look in his eyes.

"Sorry about earlier, Horatio." Joe said softly.

"I'm sorry too, but don't worry about it, I understand." Horatio said softly and Joe nodded. Zoë walked out of the en-suite looking a lot calmer.

"Has Kaitlin gone?" She asked as she stopped and scanned the room and Joe nodded.

"I didn't say bye!" She exhaled heavily as she glared at him.

"Don't worry about it Bunny, she'll be back soon." Joe said softly and Zoë looked up at him and calmed a little before turning her eyes to Horatio and Nathan.

"I want to go home." Zoë whined as she walked back round to Horatio and Nathan.

"I'll see about that tomorrow, okay? No sooner Zoë." Nathan said firmly and she exhaled again and then hopped up onto the bed. She pursed her lips with a mild glare at him before her eyes locked on to the large packet of crisps beside the bag on the unused bed.

"Are they crisps?" Zoë questioned and they all nodded as they saw her facial expression lighten.

"Do you want a packet?" Joe asked and Zoë nodded as she looked up at him with bright eyes. He quickly handed her a packet and she looked up at Horatio.

"Shall I sit back?" Horatio asked and she nodded. She quickly sat between his legs again and picked up the iPad as she slipped down to rest her head on his stomach rather than his chest and used his thighs as arm-rests.

"Can we watch another film?" She asked as she tilted her head up and looked at Horatio and Horatio nodded. "How about Summer Heights High?" She asked and Horatio nodded as she glanced up to him again.

"That's not a film though." He said softly.

"I know." She said as she clicked on the folder and then relaxed as it began to play. She pulled his arms across her chest and then ate the crisps. Horatio looked down at her and watched her eat the crisps.

"Zoë you should sit up while eating them." Horatio said softly and she just grumbled at him. "Zoë…" Horatio said quietly.

"I'm in the best place if I do choke." She mumbled before eating another crisp.

"Doesn't mean you should take the risk." Horatio said calmly, knowing he was pushing her. She remained silent and carried on eating. Horatio looked over to Nathan who shrugged at him. '_I'm not getting into the middle of that, she'll fly off the handle again.'_ Nathan thought to himself. He then walked back over to his chair and sat down.

"Nathan, we've been meaning to talk to you, now seems like a good idea." Zoë said as she sat up and pushed the iPad away. Horatio reached forwards and picked it up before it slid off the bed and stopped it from playing. '_She can't keep her concentration on anything for more than 10 minutes… I guess that isn't too much of a difference from before though.'_ Horatio thought to himself. Nathan looked up at her and sat up straight, awaiting a question.

"It's about babies." She said softly and Nathan nodded as he got up and strolled over to the bed.

"What do you want to talk about?" Nathan asked and Horatio then looked over to Joe.

"Would you like some space?" Joe questioned and Zoë shook her head with a shrug while Horatio nodded.

"I think it's a good idea, I'll be back in a little while." Joe said as he made his way out. Horatio had no idea what she wanted to talk about, so he thought it was best if they do have some privacy. Zoë looked back to Nathan after watching Joe walk out, a little confused herself.

"I just want to know a few things, for when we start trying for a baby again." She said as she sat up straight and Nathan nodded as he sat on the end of the bed giving her the go ahead. Horatio soon realised that it was nothing bad or embarrassing as he remembered that she wanted to bring it up with Nathan.

"Fire away, I'm happy to answer any questions you have if I can, if I can't, I can find them out or point you in the right direction." He said softly and Zoë nodded with a gentle smile as she shuffled back into Horatio's lap and placed his hands on her thighs as she put her hands over his.

"I was just wondering if it's likely that our children will have my asthma and allergies?" She asked softly as she rubbed the back of Horatio's hands.

"That's hard to answer, I guess it's a 50/50 chance really. There isn't anything you can do to stop them from developing allergies." Nathan said softly and she nodded.

"So they won't definitely get asthma?" She asked and Nathan nodded.

"It would be more likely if Horatio has asthma, but he doesn't." Nathan said softly and she nodded.

"If they do get asthma, will it be bad? Mine is mild to moderate now, so will that affect how bad they get it, if they get it?" Zoë questioned.

"It depends sweet, have you had asthma since you were born?" He asked and she nodded. "What was it like when you were younger? Mild, moderate, severe?" Nathan asked.

"Severe, I was regularly hospitalised for it." She said softly and Nathan nodded and then thought to himself for a moment.

"It is possible that they could suffer with asthma, but I wouldn't say it was a definite thing, I can't tell you how badly they'd be affected though, I think that you'd have it very well controlled if your child did suffer with it. Did your parents have good control over your asthma as a child?" Nathan asked softly and she pressed her lips into a hard line.

"It wasn't very well controlled, which is why I was regularly hospitalised." She said quietly as she looked down.

"I thought so. It's nothing to worry about, I know you'd have it very well controlled if that were the situation." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she looked down and composed herself and collected her thoughts.

"What about a heart condition? I'm worried that they'll have the same as me. But my heart condition isn't genetic, therefore not hereditary. But I want to know if they'll suffer with the same thing." Zoë asked softly as she began to fiddle with her hands and bite her lip. Horatio began to rub her thighs as he could feel her tensing slightly, she probably becoming a little upset.

"That's a difficult one, I highly doubt your children will have a heart condition, as the damage was caused by poison, well, most likely anyway. However, I cannot say that they won't have it. We'll obviously be keeping a very close eye on you and the baby during pregnancy and will give the baby thorough check overs once born. If there is a heart condition present it's not a problem at all, it's easily treatable." Nathan said softly and Zoë's eyes widened. Nathan studied her face and quickly closed his mouth when he saw her on the verge of tears.

"But what if the baby's heartbeat stops when in my tummy?" Zoë questioned as she began to play with her necklace as her breaths became shorter and quicker.

"Firstly, I'd like you to take some deep breaths and calm yourself. Secondly, that is even more unlikely than the baby having a condition, there isn't a need to worry sweet. We will keep a very close eye on you and baby, if you worry about these things, then you might find that it's harder to conceive, for best effect, you both need to be relaxed and not stressed." Nathan said softly.

"But I don't want our children to be unwell." Zoë said as she tilted her head and took a few deep breaths as Horatio removed one of his hands from her thigh and sat back slightly so he could rub her back.

"It's a very slim chance that they'll be unwell Zoë, if they have asthma, that's okay because it's easily treatable, you know that. In the unlikely event that they have the same heart condition, we'll treat that too. It's not a problem, it's nothing to worry about." Nathan tried reassuring her and she nodded. She looked round to Horatio, he gave her a reassuring smile as he rubbed her back.

"Anything else?" Nathan asked softly as he tilted his head at her.

"Can we start trying for a baby when we get out of here?" Zoë questioned and Nathan took a deep breath as he glanced down for a moment, giving himself time to try and think of a way to explain himself without upsetting her.

"I don't advise it, give it a few months perhaps and then start trying." Nathan said softly and Zoë nodded as she placed one of her hands over his hand that was still sat on her thigh.

"What about sex in general? We can have sex, can't we?" Zoë questioned and Nathan nodded with a gentle smile.

"Of course." He said softly. "Just remember to take your pills though. Horatio, you should probably take an active role in helping Zoë to remember to take them or making sure she's taken them if memory seems to be a little difficult at the moment." He said softly and Zoë nodded, followed by Horatio. "Is there a problem?" Nathan asked Horatio when he saw the hesitance in Horatio's eyes. Horatio shook his head, but Nathan could still see that something was bothering him. "We can talk in private if you'd prefer?" Nathan asked and Horatio shook his head again as he remained silent.

"He's worried about pushing me." Zoë said simply as she shrugged and Nathan frowned as he tilted his head and folded his arms just as Horatio exhaled and looked down.

"Pushing you?" Nathan questioned as he looked from Zoë to Horatio and back a few times.

"Yeah, since Wolfe took advantage of me, he won't touch me if I'm unwell at all in fear that he would be taking advantage." Zoë said lowly and Horatio sat forwards and wrapped his arm around her stomach and pulled her back, closer to him.

"Zoë, this is a private matter sweetheart." Horatio whispered in her ear and swallowed as she turned back to him briefly.

"I see" Nathan said softly causing Zoë to turn back to him. "There isn't any need to worry about that Horatio, she's perfectly stable and has all of her mental capabilities, she can consent of sound mind. When Ryan assaulted you, you were not of sound mind and you definitely couldn't have given consent. I would have advised against anything of a sexual nature back then apart from light kissing. The only problem is that you both may find it difficult to tell when the other wants to be intimate." Nathan said softly and they both looked to him for more detail.

"Zoë, you might find it difficult to tell when Horatio wants intimacy, you might push him away unaware of the atmosphere, but you might also come on too strongly to him. You need to understand the line between both of you wanting to get intimate and you wanting something Zoë. Horatio, you might have to learn the new signals that Zoë gives when she wants intimacy, but she might not have any new signals in which case carry on as normal. Horatio, if Zoë's being too forceful or rough, just gently remind her that it's inappropriate and that you don't want to, Zoë, you must listen to Horatio and respect his wishes. I've seen plenty of cases where there have been fall outs over things like this. The same to you Zoë; if you don't want anything, you must tell Horatio, don't just give in if you don't want anything. If you do want intimacy, Horatio, and Zoë does too, don't push her away because you're not sure she's thinking straight. Talk to her, you can't deny her intimacy because of some insecurities. There's also a line that you must draw when in public and when on your own, Zoë may not be able to distinguish this line so well anymore from what I've seen. Horatio, you need to help guide her, okay?" Nathan said softly and they nodded.

"Thank you Nathan." She smiled at him and he gave them a nod.

"Thanks" Horatio said shyly, Nathan could tell that he was embarrassed by it all.

"Are we okay to have sex? Like do either of us have any injuries that will stop us for the time being?" She asked as she placed her other hand over Horatio's hand on her thigh.

"No sweet, although, you'll need to be careful of your head for a few weeks, you've got a small skull fracture." Nathan said softly and she nodded.

She then turned to look back at Horatio. "Are you intact down there?" Zoë asked and he nodded with a small nervous chuckle. She picked up on his embarrassment by most of the sex-talk with Nathan and tilted her head. "It's just Nathan, you don't need to be embarrassed about sex talk, he's a doctor." Zoë said as she gave him a reassuring, confident smile.

"I'm just not used to discussing things like this with others." Horatio said quietly and Zoë nodded understanding. She then shrugged and looked back to Nathan with a gentle expression. "What if Zoe isn't actually of sound mind? How will I know that she's not?" Horatio asked softly and quietly, genuinely worried as he looked at Nathan for advice.

"The only time where she can't consent is when she's blacking out, or having one of those distant episodes that she has between some blackouts. But you know exactly when they happen. I assume that this is the time where Ryan took advantage. But you know that anyway, carry on how you normally would, if she blacks out and you're in the middle of something, I'd stop, but that hasn't been a problem, has it?" He asked and they shook their heads. "That's good." He said softly.

"But, is there anything that could cause her to be unaware of her consenting? I don't want to do something if she doesn't know I'm doing it." Horatio said looking genuinely worried, he couldn't understand that she was completely of sound mind due to his sheer panic about the situation.

"No, nothing's happened to change this situation, Zoë is of sound mind; she's able to consent and you need to respect her wishes and her rights. She's fine, just carry on as you normally would, there is nothing to worry about. You're not going to hurt her, you're not going to push her, she's fine, Horatio. Just be more weary when she's blacking out, just as you would do before this crash." Nathan reassured him and he exhaled, feeling relieved as he began to rub Zoë's back again.

"I told you, he wouldn't do anything with me the other day." Zoë sulked as she crossed her arms, looking from Horatio to Nathan.

"That's probably to do with other things like pain Zoë, not just the thought of taking advantage, you weren't too well the other day. Your pressure has only just come down too, I really wouldn't have advised sex with elevated pressure in your head, so I would have said no a few days ago, but now it's fine." Nathan said and she looked up at him and then nodded as she glanced down, realising that she was in the wrong the other day.

She looked round to Horatio with a guilty, soft expression. "Sorry." She apologised to him as she took his hand and lightly kissed his knuckles. She then turned back to Nathan with a mischievous smile.

"Can we have sex right now?" Zoë questioned Nathan and he swallowed as he blinked a few times. She'd caught him out.

"I don't advise it Zoë, for one, you're in the hospital and this room isn't exactly private, two; I'm in here, three; if you're loud we'll all hear out there, four; you're not protected by the pill just yet, five; I'm not sure Horatio's comfortable with having sex in the hospital. Hopefully you'll be home soon sweet, you can do whatever you want in the comfort of your own home." Nathan said softly, hoping she wouldn't fly off the handle at him and she nodded.

"Okay, thank you Nathan." She said softly and he gave them another nod, relieved that he'd avoided another shouting fest from Zoë.

"If there's anything else you want to know, just ask, don't be embarrassed or afraid, I've heard it all before and I've probably heard a lot worse than whatever you can come up with." He said softly and Zoë grinned as her face brightened up.

"Want to bet? I'm sure I could think of something that would shock you." She grinned and Horatio sat forwards quickly as she thought to herself.

"He wasn't challenging you sweetheart." Horatio said quickly so she didn't say anything about their love life.

"He wasn't?" Zoë questioned as she glanced back to him and Horatio shook his head gently as he lightly rubbed her stomach.

"No, Zoë. I'm sorry, I should have made that clearer." Nathan said softly and Zoë looked back to him with a shy smile. She then looked down and played with her fingers for a few minutes while Nathan gave Horatio a nod in appreciation. He was sure that Zoë would have been able to come up with something that would shock him, and he didn't want to hear it.

She then lifted her head as Nathan got up and walked over to the seat when he didn't expect any more questions. "Do you have a girlfriend Nathan?" Zoë questioned out of the blue and he looked back up at her as Horatio closed his eyes, just hoping she hadn't embarrassed Nathan, but he seemed calm and collected as he shook his head with a gentle smile. "Really?" Zoë questioned with a mild frown as she tilted her head and Nathan nodded as he crossed his legs – his ankle over his knee.

"Don't sound so shocked, I don't have time for a girlfriend, I spend all my time here." He smiled with a small chuckle. Horatio studied Nathan, if someone had asked him a question like that when he was single, he wouldn't have been so cool and collected, he would have felt up-tight about it.

"Why don't you go and find a lady doctor?" She asked with a wink and a grin and Nathan chuckled again as he shook his head.

"I'm not really one for relationships, Zoë." He smiled at her naturally, amused.

"So you're like Joe?" Zoë questioned.

"If he's also not one for relationships, then yes, like Joe." Nathan said softly.

"Are you a cock-tease like Joe?" She questioned and Nathan began to laugh.

"A cock-tease?" He questioned.

"Yeah, like will you go and flirt with women and then leave them hanging? I say cock-tease because you're both good looking men and when woman look at you, they probably immediately think of sex." She said softly and Nathan began to laugh again.

"I've left a few hanging, so yes, I guess you can say I'm a cock-tease in that case. And thank you for the compliment on the looks. Yes, most women will try and get into my pants, especially if I mention that I'm a doctor." Nathan admitted and Zoë giggled.

"Do you use the doctor card much?" Zoë grinned.

"I may have used it a fair few times, especially in my younger years, yes." Nathan smiled as he relaxed back, he could see that Horatio wasn't all that comfortable with the conversation.

"Have you had a one night stand?" Zoë questioned and Nathan nodded. "Really?" Zoë questioned, shocked.

"Yes, haven't you?" He asked softly and she shook her head with a disgusted expression.

"No, never. Do you think I'm easy?" Zoë questioned with a scowl.

"No, not at all Zoë. That isn't what I was saying. I only asked out of curiosity. The women I only ever had one night stands with were the pretty women, you're a pretty woman to–" Nathan tried to dig himself out of the hole, but what he didn't realise was that he was digging himself deeper.

"You think because I'm pretty that I'd roll over and open my legs to any man? That's disgusting and degrading. You're just like those bitches back at school." Zoë scowled at him as she tensed and began to rise to her knees as she glared at him.

"Zoë, sweetheart, Nathan didn't mean that at all." Horatio said softly as he stepped in to try and calm the situation. Zoë looked back up at Nathan as he looked at her, worried and sorry.

"For your information I've only ever had sex with 3 men, including Horatio and Mike, my dead husband. The other was my first long-term relationship." She scowled at him and Nathan swallowed.

"I'm sorry sweet, I really didn't mean to offend you, I was just asking casually just as you did." Nathan said softly and she calmed down considerably as Horatio began to play with her hair.

"Sorry Nathan." She apologised softly.

"No worries sweet." He smiled softly and she smiled shyly.

"Where is Joe?" She asked as she looked around.

"He's gone for a coffee." Horatio said softly and she nodded.

"I'm going to get you both a lovely lady one day." She smiled and Nathan chuckled.

"You can try sweet." He smiled as he got up. "Is that everything answered?" Nathan asked softly as he stretched his legs a little.

"Tell me if I'm being stupid, but is there a specific position that's better for conceiving?" She asked.

"No, any position will get the–" Nathan said as he leant on the end of the bed.

"I'm stopping you there, because the next word you'll say will cause something that you won't like." Horatio cut him off. Nathan closed his mouth and thought to himself for a moment and then nodded at Horatio.

"Anyway, it's not a stupid question, but any position will do, as long as you're actually having intercourse. I had a patient who was confused as to why she wasn't conceiving and I realised that her and her husband weren't actually having sex, they were just lying in bed naked, hoping something would miraculously happen." Nathan chuckled and Zoë tilted her head with a grin.

"Oh we definitely have intercourse, Horatio–" Zoë began to say with a wide grin.

"And I'm going to stop you there because I know what you're going to say." Horatio smiled nervously as he cut her off as he rubbed her stomach and she looked round to him.

"Inappropriate?" She asked quietly and he nodded. "Sorry." She apologised and he nodded and gave her a smile.

"You do make me laugh, Zoë." Nathan smiled at her as he shook his head.

"Why?" She asked softly as she tilted her head.

"You just seem so at ease with talking about this stuff, a lot of people have difficulty even saying the word sex in front of anyone other than their partner. You're just so open about it." Nathan said softly.

"It's a natural thing, I don't understand why people get embarrassed when the word sex is mentioned, or periods for that matter. Walter hates it when I say either of those words. I think he hates it more when I talk about periods." Zoë said thinking to herself.

"It's a private thing, Zoë." Horatio reminded her quietly. '_She's going to say something about us soon, I know it.'_ He thought to himself.

"Yeah, but all men know that we have periods, almost everyone in a relationship has sex with their partner, it's not exactly a secret that we do these things. Everyone knows we have sex, I was pregnant, that didn't just miraculously happen." Zoë said as she looked up at Horatio. He could see her point of view. She then looked up at Nathan. "How different does sex feel after you've had a baby?" Zoë questioned Nathan.

"I couldn't' tell you sweet, I've never experienced sex with someone who's had a baby, or asked anyone who's had a baby." Nathan said softly.

"You have had sex, haven't you?" Zoë questioned with a mild frown and he chuckled.

"Of course I have, I've just admitted to you that I've had one-night stands before." He smiled and Zoë nodded.

"Will I get a bucket fanny, or will I get tight down there again after a baby?" She questioned and both Horatio and Nathan looked at her with wide eyes.

"Er… I'm sorry, a what?" Nathan questioned as he lowered his eyebrows and moved closer, thinking that it was just slightly slurred speech that caused him to mis-hear what she'd said.

"You know, like a really big vagina." She said as she looked at them and both Horatio and Nathan couldn't help but laugh. She looked at them both, a little confused as to why they were laughing.

"How do you say these things while keeping a straight face?" Nathan questioned with a wide amused grin as he studied her confused facial expression and found it even funnier. "A bucket fanny?" Nathan questioned with a chuckle again as he shook his head.

"Yeah, a bucket fanny. Why's that so funny?" She asked as she looked from Nathan to Horatio, who was still trying to stifle a laugh himself.

"I've never heard that expression, but it depends on the person, there's exercises you can do to strengthen your muscles and pelvic floor and things, to help with the looseness after giving birth, but I shouldn't think it would be anything like a bucket." Nathan still couldn't help but chuckle as he composed himself.

"Ah okay…. I can't believe neither of you have heard of a bucket fanny." She said as she looked up at them with a small smile, finding their grins amusing.

"It's what everyone used to say to describe a slut's fanny, because they'd have sex with so many guys that they'd get a fanny the size of a bucket." She said as she looked up at them and both chuckled again.

"Is it safe to come back?" Joe asked as he put his head around the door, Zoë looked over to him with a wide grin as he studied Nathan's and Horatio's facial expression and thought it was safe.

"If you don't mind discussing bucket fannies, then yes." She said softly and he exhaled as his facial expression deflated.

"I'll wait outside again." He sighed and Nathan glanced around to him with a gentle smile.

"I think we're done, Joe." Nathan said softly and Joe slowly walked in, cautiously.

"How much does it hurt… you know, having a baby? Because surely it won't be too pleasant getting a baby out of there? I mean, Horatio only just fits in there." She said innocently as she looked back to Nathan.

"I'm definitely going to wait outside again." Joe said as he turned around again and quickly walked out. Horatio swallowed and closed his eyes as his face flushed red. '_I guess at least she didn't say anything bad about me.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"I think it's better if you talk to Alexx about that side of it, she's been through it and I'm sure she can talk to you about bucket fannies and things, it's not really my area of expertise…" Nathan said softly and she nodded.

"Okay" Zoë said softly as she nodded. "Thank you." She said sweetly and Nathan nodded. There was a knock at the door and they all looked over as it opened. Walter walked in with Eric and Alexx.

"Is it okay to come in?" Walter asked and they nodded at him.

"Okay?" Nathan asked Zoe and she nodded as she glanced over to him, then back to Walter's bright orange shirt.

"We aren't disturbing anything are we?" Walter asked softly as he glanced from Zoë to Nathan. He looked back to Zoë as a wide grin appeared across her face.

"No, we just finished talking about sex and babies." She smiled and Walter squirmed, Nathan let out a small chuckle when he saw how uncomfortable Walter got. Alexx chuckled a little as she smiled at Zoë, she knew Zoë was on her way back to them for sure.

"How are you both doing?" Eric asked softly as he approached the side of the bed and they nodded with a smile at him.

"I'm hoping to go home tomorrow." She smiled excitedly as she sat up straight and Eric nodded with a smile, happy to see her so happy.

"That's good news!" He said as he placed his hand on her forearm. She smiled at him and then looked back to Walter. She stared at Walter and they could all see the sudden change in her facial expression.

"Are you okay Zoë?" Eric asked as he gently rubbed her forearm while Joe walked back in. She exhaled and looked down at her hands as she began to play with her fingers.

"What's wrong sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly as he sat forward.

"I miss my boobs, Walter even has bigger boobs than me!" She said loudly as she shook her head and looked down as she crossed her arms and pulled her knees up.

"Walter, I'm so sorry, she doesn't mean it." Horatio quickly apologised and then sat forwards.

"Zoë, that was a little inappropriate sweetheart." Horatio whispered into her ear after he pulled her hair back to expose her ear. She felt his lips move against her ear and she began to bite her lip.

She looked around to him with tears in her eyes. "Inappropriate?" She asked and he nodded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be inappropriate." She said as she looked up at Walter and Eric, Walter nodded at her with a sweet expression.

"Don't worry about it Zoë." Walter assured her softly.

"What was inappropriate? What did I do?" She asked Horatio quietly as she turned fully and moved closer to him, looking highly confused.

"I'll talk to you later about that, okay?" Horatio said softly and she nodded as she ran a hand through his hair.

"Sorry Walter." Horatio said softly as he looked over to Walter after gently pushing Zoë away to give himself a little more room as she was virtually sitting right on top of him and Walter nodded.

"Don't worry, Eric's kept me updated, I understand." Walter said softly and Horatio nodded as Zoë moved closer again as Horatio looked round to her. She raised her hands and cupped herself again as she looked down to her chest.

"I swear they're smaller, have a look." Zoë said as she began to unbutton her shirt but Horatio quickly pulled her hands from her shirt. '_I'm glad she did move closer now, I wouldn't have reached her otherwise. Perhaps it is best to keep her within easy reaching distance.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he held her hands and exhaled a long breath.

"It doesn't matter sweetheart, you'll put weight on when we get home, it's only because we've not been eating properly." Horatio said softly and she nodded after thinking about it for a moment. She then frowned and pulled her hand from Horatio's, using a little force and cupped her right breast again. Horatio quickly pulled her hand away from herself as she looked round to Nathan. Nathan looked to her when he saw her looking at him.

"Nathan, my breast hurts." She said as she tilted her head and let Horatio hold her hands away from her.

"It's probably just some pains from the crash sweet." Nathan said softly with a reassuring smile and then looked back down to the file on his lap. Joe sat up alert as he looked at Zoë with wide eyes.

"It was hurting a while ago as well." She said as she looked at him and he looked up at her with a more concerned face. Alexx quickly approached the beck much closer and frowned herself.

Nathan quickly put the file down to the side and stood up. "Can we please have some privacy?" Nathan said as Zoe began to check herself. He quickly walked over to them and stood close to the bed with a grave expression forming as Joe's eyes darted from Zoë to Nathan and back repeatedly. He noticed that Zoë had a calm, placid facial expression while Nathan's was frowning with concern. "Can you all please just step outside, you can come back in very soon." Nathan said and Eric and Walter quickly walked out. Zoë looked up at Nathan, beginning to get worried herself.

"Baby, calm down, there's no need to worry." Alexx said very warmly as she placed her hand on Zoë's knee which caused Zoë to look up at Alexx with a furrowed brow. Joe began to really panic and froze at the door as he looked back to Zoë. "Joe, please some privacy." Nathan said as he glanced back when he heard a heavy exhale from Joe.

"Don't worry Joe, it's probably nothing." Zoë assured him. He took a deep breath and Nathan turned again to face Joe.

"She's right, it's probably nothing, don't worry." Nathan said softly when he saw the fear in Joe's eyes. He reluctantly walked out and closed the door while Nathan walked over to the bed curtain and pulled it around the bed.

"I'm just going to ask you to undress the top half, please Zoë." Alexx said as she sat on Horatio's thigh and bit her lip.

"I'll be the other side of the curtain." Nathan said warmly but Zoë quickly rose to her knees and pulled Nathan back by his arm. She looked at him extremely worried.

"No, stay please." Zoë asked and Nathan exhaled and then nodded. Zoë nodded as she sat back down on Horatio's thigh. Horatio gave her a hand with the buttons as she'd began to become a little more stressed, causing her hands to freeze and stop working so she couldn't undo the buttons.

"What's up with Joe?" Nathan asked as Horatio finished undoing the buttons.

"His mother died of breast cancer a while back." Zoë said as Horatio pulled her shirt off and placed it beside them.

"Can you take your bra off too please baby?" Alexx asked softly and she nodded and then took it off and handed it to Horatio for him to put down with the shirt. She then looked up at Alexx while she bit her lip.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Can I feel first please?" Zoë asked and Alexx nodded as she placed her hand over her breast and began to feel for herself. Alexx, Nathan and Horatio studied her look of intense concentration, just hoping for it to stay that way and didn't want to see a look of shock cross her face. "I can't feel anything." She said as she looked up at Nathan, looking mystified before she looked over to Alexx.

"Do you mind if I check?" She asked and Zoë shook her head as she moved her hand and placed it on Horatio's shoulder, giving Alexx the all clear to go ahead. Zoë bit her lip and then looked down at Alexx's hand on her breast before she looked back up at Horatio with a gentle expression.

"Don't worry Horatio, it's probably nothing." Zoë said as she looked over to him and saw that he was extremely concerned and worried. He gave her a nod and then looked up at Alexx as she concentrated, Horatio swallowed just hoping that nothing was wrong. He felt his heart rate pick up considerably, he could even hear the blood rushing through his ears. Horatio stared at Alexx intensely, awaiting her verdict whilst time felt like it stood still as sheer panic and worry threatened to take over.

"I can't feel anything, but if you want, Nathan can send you for a mammogram?" Alexx asked. Horatio exhaled heavily, very relieved. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to compose himself as his heart rate calmed down. He exhaled heavily again and looked at Zoë with relief.

"It's not necessary if you can't feel anything, I just wanted to check as the same one hurt a little while back, but I did punch myself in the breast accidently, so it's probably to do with the crash. Sorry for worrying you guys." She said softly as she looked from Alexx to Nathan to Horatio and back.

"It might be a good idea if Horatio checks as he probably knows what's normal, I don't. Every woman's breasts are different." Alexx said softly and Zoe nodded and then looked to Horatio. He quickly checked once she turned to him and he seemed to relax completely when he couldn't feel anything.

"Nothing out of the ordinary." He said softly and Zoë exhaled with relief herself as she smiled at him gently.

"Thank you, I'm sorry." She said softly.

"Don't be sorry about it, it's better to be safe than sorry sweet." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she picked up her bra. She looked to Horatio and he then helped her to get it back on. She then pulled the shirt back on and gave Nathan and Alexx a small smile as she and Horatio did the buttons up together.

"Can you get them in again please. Bunny's probably pulling his hair out." She said quietly and Nathan nodded and then walked over to the door after pulling the bed curtain back. He let them in and Joe quickly walked over to Zoë with wide eyes, needing to hear the outcome.

"Don't worry Bunny, there's nothing there. I just wanted to check." She said softly and Joe exhaled a heavy breath as he looked down and brought his hands up to his mouth as if he was praying.

"Oh thank God." He exhaled and then dropped his hands as he looked back up at her. He pulled her closer and kissed her forehead before he embraced her for a moment.

"It's better to be safer than sorry." She said quietly and Joe nodded as he just held her for a few more moments.

"I couldn't agree more." Joe said as he pulled away and rubbed her forearm while he nodded at her.

"Zoë, I'm getting a bit of a dead leg, could you move please?" Horatio asked and she moved to sit between his legs again, but sideways.

"Sorry about that guys." She apologised to Eric and Walter and they gave her a smile and a nod, Eric also looked somewhat relieved, more so than Walter. Walter didn't seem too bothered by any of it. "Can I have a shower please?" She asked as she glanced round to Horatio and placed her hand on his chest.

"We'll see you later." Eric said softly and she looked back to them and nodded with a smile.

"Mmm" she moaned as she got up to her knees on the bed as Eric, Alexx and Walter turned around to walk out. They glanced back when they heard Zoë moan.

"Eric, she'd like a hug." Horatio said softly as she reached out for him. Eric looked to Zoë from Horatio as Horatio gave him a nod and then walked towards Zoë. He gave her a light hug as she wrapped her arms tightly around his chest and placed her head on his shoulder. Horatio was happy to see her happy enough with Eric to hug him. Eric then pulled away and she smiled at him as she steadied herself by placing a hand on his chest.

"See you later Zo." He said softly and she sat back down, removing her hand from his chest. He walked out after giving them all a smile, as Alexx and Walter did too. Alexx couldn't help but feel a little down as Zoë hadn't demonstrated any form of friendly behaviour towards her again.

Once they had left Nathan looked up to Horatio with a gentle expression. "It's probably best if you talk to Zoë about what she said now." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he looked back to Zoë.

"What did I say?" She asked as she turned to Horatio and placed her hands on his thighs as she gave him her full attention as she tilted her head before she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"You said that Walter had bigger breasts than you, that's inappropriate and not very nice sweetheart." Horatio said softly.

"Oh, sorry." She said as she lowered her eyebrows with a deflated sigh. She then piped up again as she sat up straight and looked at him, he knew a disagreement was to come. "But he has though, you've seen them." She said as her eyebrows rose again and Horatio tried to stifle a small chuckle as she was being so blunt. Joe also tried to stifle a chuckle as he looked away and down at his phone to try and distract himself, he found it a little more amusing than Horatio did whilst Nathan tried to keep away.

"It's still not nice, Zoë. We keep things like that to ourselves. Anyway, he's a little bigger than the average man, he doesn't have breasts, Zoë." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked down and pursed her lips as she began to play with her fingers. Horatio playfully pulled her back towards him and whispered something into her ear and she began to giggle. A smile appeared across Joe's face when he saw her bright smile and heard her giggles.

"You're naughty." She grinned at Horatio as she rose to her knees and placed her hands on his shoulders and pulled herself closer as Horatio grinned up at her. He placed his hands on her waist to guide her to sit down where she was so she gave him some room.

"Don't repeat that though." Horatio said quietly with a smile and she giggled again.

"Kinky devil." She whispered quietly with a wide grin. Joe and Nathan both chose not to hear what she'd said while she began to giggle a little more. "Can you–" she began but he quickly put his finger to his lips as he raised his eyebrows which stopped her.

"Don't repeat, remember?" Horatio smiled at her and she giggled again. She calmed herself down while Horatio continued to smile at her, amused because she'd found it so funny. She leant forwards once she was finished giggling and place a light kiss on his nose, causing him to smile more.

She then glanced round to Nathan with a gentle smile. "Nathan can I go and make a cup of tea please?" She asked softly as she turned around fully in Horatio's lap and placed her hands on his knees. '_Her attention is everywhere at the moment, that should get better though, surely?'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"I can go and get you a cup of tea." He said softly as he put his paperwork down and looked up at her with a gentle expression.

"I'd like to make it please, I know you've got tea and a kettle in your office." She said as she tilted her head and then rose to her knees as he studied her pleading facial expression.

"If you really want, but I'll be coming with you." Nathan said softly and she nodded excitedly as she beamed at him.

"Can I?" She asked and Horatio nodded with a gentle expression as he rubbed her back lightly.

"Thank you, do you want a cup of coffee?" She asked and Horatio shook his head and she then looked to Joe and he shook his head too.

"You can come if you want, Horatio." Nathan said warmly as he got up and placed his hand on Zoë's back as she got up and off the bed.

"No it's okay, just keep an eye on her, please?" Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded with a gentle expression as he placed his hand on Zoë's shoulder just as she turned back around to the bed.

"I'll see you in a minute." She smiled as she leant up on the bed and placed a kiss on Horatio's lips. He gave her a smile and then nodded as she backed off, she turned around and looked up at Nathan, waiting for him to give her the go ahead. He nodded at her and she rushed over to the door with Nathan following, Horatio couldn't help but chuckle when he saw her lifting the legs of the trousers so she didn't trip over as they were too long for her.

Nathan rushed down the corridor to catch up with Zoë. "Slow down Zo." Nathan said as he placed his hand on her back and walked down the corridor with her. She took hold of his hand and tried to pull him along faster. '_Wow she's just had a burst of energy. Probably excitement to get out of that room. It'll do her good.' _Nathan thought to himself. "Zoë, my office isn't going anywhere." He chuckled and she glanced round to him before looking back to where she was walking and tried to pull him along more.

"Nathan" a man called and he stopped and turned around, holding Zoë's hand firmly. She stopped and looked back to Nathan and took hold of his wrist with her other hand and tried to pull him along again.

"Wait a moment Zoë." Nathan said as he gently pulled her back and studied her as she glared up at him. He raised his eyebrows at her. "Just a moment, Zoë. My office isn't going to go anywhere." Nathan assured her but she continued to glare at him.

"Sorry to bother you." The young doctor said as he rushed over to him and Nathan looked back to the young doctor. She quickly studied the young doctor and then looked back up at Nathan.

"Mmm" she moaned as she tried pulling on Nathan's hand again.

"Wait a moment sweet, just two seconds." Nathan said as he looked back to the doctor. "What can I do for you?" Nathan asked softly as he brought Zoë's hand closer to him, pulling her closer so he could place his other hand over her forearm and gently rub so he kept her a little occupied and calm.

"I've got really tricky symptoms in room 7, could you please have a look when you're free? I have no idea what I'm dealing with." He said softly and Nathan nodded with a gentle smile.

"I'll be right along when I'm finished here." Nathan said softly and the doctor nodded as his eyes fell to Zoë who was looking up at Nathan as she bit her lip.

"Who's this?" He asked as he looked Zoë up and down, studying the oversized shirt and trousers she wore.

Nathan glanced to Zoë with a gentle smile and looked back to the doctor. "This is Zoë, she's a good friend of mine and is currently a patient." Nathan said softly and the young doctor nodded with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Zoë." He said softly and she looked round to him and then stared at him with a mild frown. "I'm Terry, but people call me Tez." He said warmly and held his hand out towards her. She flinched and then moved closer to Nathan, wrapping her arms around his waist as she turned her head and closed her eyes, burying her head between his arm and chest. Nathan quickly shook his head at the doctor and he pulled his hand away and put it back in his pocket. Nathan put his arm around her back as she hugged his waist tighter.

"Tez won't hurt you sweet, you're safe. He's a great doctor, he's just like me really. We make a few bad jokes but we're good at what we do." Nathan said warmly as he began to play with her hair.

"Erm, is she wearing your clothes?" Terry, the young doctor asked as he looked back up to Nathan.

"No, Zoe's wearing her fiancé's clothes. Long story short, she's had a severe head injury. If you'll please excuse me, we're in the middle of something." Nathan said softly and the young doctor nodded as he stepped back. He watched Zoë loosen her grip on Nathan as she glanced back to him and watched him step back again.

"Okay anyway, thank you, room 7." He said softly and Nathan nodded as he stopped playing with Zoë's hair as she dropped her hands from his waist as the other doctor turned and walked away.

"Sorry." Zoë apologised as she looked up at Nathan and he gave her a smile.

"That's okay." He said softly and she nodded as she began to bite her lip, he then glanced up when he heard a conversation becoming heated up the corridor and knew it would probably set Zoë off if they hung around any longer.

"Okay?" Nathan asked as he looked back down at Zoë. Zoë nodded and then took his hand again and pulled him over to his office. He unlocked it and supervised Zoë as she made tea.

"See, I can make tea, I'm good to go." She smiled up at Nathan as she held the mug in her hand and looked up at Nathan with a brilliant smile.

He raised an eyebrow at her as he gave her a half-smile. "Is this why you wanted to make the tea?" Nathan asked as he placed a hand on his hip and tilted his head at her.

"Not really, I like my tea to be made a certain way." She said softly and Nathan nodded as he glanced down, realising she did just innocently want to make her own tea and it wasn't all about showing him that she could do it.

"Come on then, back to the room?" He asked and Zoë nodded with a gentle smile as she quickly wiped the side down.

"Do you want me to carry the tea?" He asked and she nodded. He quickly took it from her and then walked out with her, she was a lot calmer walking back to the room. She took hold of his hand again and walked up the corridor, walking close to him and opened the door and walked in. He placed her tea on the side as she climbed back up onto the bed. She smiled at Horatio and then picked up the iPad again and began to play around with it.

She looked up at Horatio with a smile. "Can we get a horse?" Zoë asked softly and Horatio mildly frowned for a moment, surprised as it was such a random question to ask. He then smiled softly at her once he was over the initial surprise and thought process of running the question through his head a few times to make sure that is what she had asked and that he didn't imagine it or mishear it.

"I'm not sure we have the time to care for a horse, Zoë." Horatio said softly and she sighed and nodded as she looked back down to the iPad with a depressed look. "We can go horse riding if you want though, not just yet, but sometime soon?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked around to him with a bright smile. "We'll do that then." Horatio smiled and she nodded excitedly as she moved closer to him.

Joe sat forwards with a smug smile as he looked up at Horatio and Zoë. "Have you ever been horse riding before?" Joe asked Horatio and Horatio shook his head and studied the smug expression.

"Make sure you wear some tight boxers so you don't sit on yourself, that's the only advice I'm giving you…" He said and Horatio just stared at him blankly. Joe could see the regret in Horatio's eyes and smiled more, Horatio was clearly not impressed.

"I made Joe ride before and he said he'd never go again." Zoë said excitedly as she looked to Horatio. Horatio looked to her with a bleak expression, and swallowed before he raised his eyebrows at her.

"Sounds great." Horatio said sarcastically with a forced smile.

"If you get an erection while you ride, you won't sit on yourself… I'll wear something tight." She grinned at him seriously and his eyes widened more as he flushed a light shade of red as an amused smile threatened to tug at his lips.

"Inappropriate sweetheart." Horatio whispered as he tried to hide his smile.

"Sorry." She apologised while Nathan stifled a snigger as he looked at the both of them with a wide smile.

"Is she always this hilarious?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded, regrettably and unenthusiastically.

"She usually keeps her comments to herself and shares them quietly with me though, not with the whole world. I don't have a problem with it if she only tells me." Horatio said shyly and Nathan nodded with a brilliant smile.

"How you can come up with things like that and say it with a straight face, I do not understand." Nathan beamed at her and she looked over to him with a smile.

"Horatio said that once, I asked if we could have–" Zoë began softly but Horatio pulled her back gently.

"That's enough sweetheart; no-one wants to know that." Horatio said softly. '_She was about to tell them about the time she asked for sex with me behind her and that I nearly choked on my food when she asked…'_ Horatio thought to himself and studied Nathan's very amused smile. She looked back to Joe with a smile.

"Joe didn't sit for a week after he sat on himself." Zoë said as she beamed as she began to giggle, remembering the situation clearly.

"I can imagine." Nathan said sympathizing with Joe with a slight grimace as Horatio concentrated on Zoë's wonderful giggle and bright smile as she looked at Joe with glistening eyes. '_I do love it when she giggles and smiles like that. Her smile is to die for.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Finally, some sympathy, she nearly fell off the horse because she laughed so much!" Joe said with a smile as he looked at Nathan with a chuckle himself, enjoying Zoë's smile and giggle.

"I did not! I was a very concerned friend." She said with a straight face as she sat up straight and crossed her legs.

"Sure you were, that was right after you had to wipe the tears from your eyes after laughing so much while I sat in agony." He smiled at her as he raised an eyebrow and she smiled back with a snigger.

"Kaitlin laughed too!" Zoë argued with a beaming grin.

"Yes, but not half as much as you." Joe smiled up at her, wanting to spur her on as he could see Horatio was really enjoying her smile and giggle. He hadn't seen Horatio so relaxed or happy since they woke from the coma.

"You don't know how easy you've got it, you guys just sit on yourself occasionally… or people lean on your sensitive area, we get periods and have babies come out of places that hurt." She smiled at him and he chuckled and shook his head.

"You can't use that all the time, you don't know pain until you're hit in that sensitive area." Joe said softly and she grinned at him again.

"You're a wimp, you just can't handle pain." She chuckled as she placed her hands on Horatio's thigh.

"I thought we'd already agreed on that?" Joe said softly and she nodded as she reached over for her cup of tea while she brought another game up on the iPad and began to play Sudoku.

She looked up at Nathan having remembered something. "Shouldn't you go and check on that patient in room 7?" Zoë asked Nathan and Nathan looked back up at her and remembered himself.

"Oh yes, thank you Zoë." Nathan said as he quickly got up and walked out after giving her an appreciative nod.

Nathan came back in about 30 minutes later with a meal for each of them. Zoë refused to eat hers and instead had the meal that Horatio was given.

"Why does Zoë not eat what she's been given, even if it's the same?" Horatio asked Nathan once they'd finished the meals.

"I think it's probably to do with the attachment and separation anxiety that she's got with you right now, hopefully it'll get better soon." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded and looked back to Zoë as she began to play with his sleeve.

She glanced back to Nathan with a small smile while she dropped Horatio's hand and sleeve from her hands. "Can I have a shower please?" Zoë asked Nathan and he nodded.

"Horatio, go with her please, I'll change her bandage after." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded. They both walked into the bathroom, Horatio then managed to get her to dress without much conflict, but she still refused to wear anything but his clothes, she even wore his boxers this time around but he made sure that they were a clean pair. He made sure she was comfortable before he walked back into the en-suite to have his shower. She refused to let Nathan touch her hand to re-bandage it and he knew it was because Horatio wasn't there, so he waited until he was out of the shower. Neither Joe or Nathan spoke to Zoë as she seemed to be playing with the iPad peacefully and knew that if they disturbed her, she'd probably start to panic because Horatio wasn't there. A few minutes later she looked up with a frown and glanced back in the bed to look for Horatio. Nathan looked up when he saw her moving more and knew that there was going to be trouble.

"Horatio!" She shouted as she looked around frantically, her eyes searching the entire room.

"Zoë, you're okay, he's in the shower." Nathan said as he got up.

"I want Horatio!" She said loudly as Nathan made his way over to her with a gentle smile, hoping to keep her calm.

"Come and see him then." Nathan said as he held his hand out. She took his hand and got off the bed. Joe kept out of it as he didn't want to distress her more. Nathan and Zoë walked over to the en-suite and Nathan knocked as Zoë looked from him to the door. "Horatio, is it okay if Zoë comes in?" Nathan asked loudly and clearly.

"Yes." Horatio called through the door. Nathan quickly walked away as Zoë opened the door and walked in, quickly closing the door behind her.

"She did that last time he was in the shower too." Joe said softly as Nathan slunk back into his seat.

"She's got a problem with him being too far from her at the moment, it's like separation anxiety." Nathan said softly and Joe nodded as he thought to himself and ran his fingers over his lips.

"But she happily left to make that tea earlier." Joe said softly and Nathan nodded as he crossed his legs at the ankles and looked at Joe softly.

"It could be because it was her choice to leave him?" Nathan asked and Joe nodded. Horatio and Zoë ventured out of the bathroom. Zoë looked a lot more relaxed as she linked her arm with Horatio's and walked over to the bed with him. Nathan gave Zoë a gentle smile as Horatio and Zoë passed him as she looked at him with a gentle smile herself. He watched Zoë climb up onto the bed after Horatio had made himself comfortable.

"Can I change your bandages now?" Nathan asked and Zoë nodded. She sat between Horatio's legs again while Nathan changed her bandages and cleaned the wounds on her hand. "These are probably going to scar, Zoë." Nathan sighed once he'd cleaned her hand and began to bandage it again. She wasn't even listening to him. She was too busy playing with Horatio's hand using her left hand. Once Nathan finished, Zoë quickly fell asleep and Horatio wasn't long after her. Nathan and Joe dropped off around the same time later that evening. All were woken up the next morning by the light coming through the blinds.

"Can I go now?" Zoë questioned Nathan as soon as she sat up.

"Give me a chance. I'm going to go home and then come back to do my rounds, I'll come to you during the rounds and I'll talk with you and Horatio, okay?" Nathan asked softly and she exhaled and then bit her lip.

"Can I have another shower?" She asked and Nathan nodded as he glanced over to Horatio, silently telling him to keep an eye on her. Horatio nodded at him and then got up with her after she sprang out of the bed excitedly.

"Joe are you going to shower?" Zoë asked as they walked through to the en-suite while Nathan walked out.

"I'll have one a little later." He said softly and she nodded and then walked into the en-suite with Horatio following. They both showered, Horatio after Zoë. They walked out both feeling fresh and were greeted with two coffees that Joe had got while they were in the en-suite.

"You're an angel." She smiled as she picked the mug up and then sat back on the bed beside Horatio.

"Do you think he'll let me go now?" Zoë asked Horatio as she turned and crossed her legs as she held the mug on the bed and bit her lip.

"Perhaps, I'm not sure. We'll see what he says." Horatio said softly. '_I really don't know what he's going to say, she seems to be fine, her pressure is normal now, she's able to do everything she needs to do herself, she's back to normal bar the slight emotional disturbances.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"It'll do both of us good to get out of here." She said softly and Horatio nodded in agreement as he placed his hand on her thigh and studied her gentle expression as she looked down at the coffee.

"I know sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he began to rub her back. She rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to her elbows so they weren't too long for her and she sat back.

She watched her coffee spin in her hand as she stirred it slightly as she bit her lip, just wanting to be released. "Are we getting a taxi back?" Zoë questioned Horatio as she looked back up to him.

"I brought your car up when I went to yours with Kaitlin, I hope you don't mind." Joe said softly and both Zoë and Horatio turned to look at him with gentle expressions before a bright smile formed on Zoë's face.

"No, that's fine, thank you Joe." She smiled and Joe gave her a smile and nod as she sipped her coffee and then smiled more as she let go of the cup with one hand and placed her hand on Horatio's thigh.

"Do you think either of us will be allowed to drive?" Zoë questioned Horatio as she removed her hand from his thigh and ran her fingers through his freshly washed hair as her eyes concentrated on his hair.

"I think that I may be allowed, but I'm not so sure about you at this moment in time, you never know though." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she removed her hand from his hair and took a sip of the coffee before pulling the iPad closer to her again. She sat back with the iPad again and they waited for Nathan to return, Horatio watched Zoë play a strategic game and was entertained by her as she spoke to herself, she was saying her thought processes out loud while Joe played on his phone.

"You're welcome to borrow my car for the time being if you're staying down here for some time." Zoë said softly as she looked over to Joe after finishing her coffee.

"Thank you Zoë, but Kaitlin and I have a hire car for the moment." He smiled at her and she nodded and then looked back to the iPad and carried on playing. Nathan returned, looking stressed and stood at the end of the bed. He studied both Zoë's and Horatio's natural smiles and relaxed slightly.

"Joe, could you give us some privacy please, I need to check Zoë over." Nathan said softly as he ran a hand through his hair and Joe nodded and got up and walked out after giving Zoë a reassuring smile and wink.

"Horatio, if you could please stand beside the bed, it'll help lots." Nathan said softly and Horatio moved from beside Zoë. She let out a moan just as he was getting off the bed and reached out to him as she pushed the iPad away. He took hold of her hand as she rose to her knees and moved over to the side where he got off and pulled him closer and wrapped her left arm around his waist as she placed her head on his chest. "Don't worry sweet, he's just going to stand by your side, okay?" Nathan said softly.

"I'm right here beautiful, you're safe. Nathan is just going to check you over, I'll be right by your side at all times." Horatio assured her and she pulled back slightly, releasing him. She looked up at him as he gave her a gentle smile and then raised one of his hands to the side of her face as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Let Nathan check you over and we might be able to go home, yes?" He asked softly and Zoë nodded with a bright smile as she sat back down, keeping hold of Horatio's hand. Horatio got her to lie down as Nathan stepped forwards and began to check her over while Horatio kept her still and calm.

"Physically, you're okay Zoë. I'm happy to let you go on that side of things, however, I'm still a little apprehensive to let you leave." Nathan said honestly as he stood back and placed his stethoscope around the back of his neck. He watched the hope diminish in both Horatio's eyes and Zoë's eyes and he felt awful. '_I know if I keep her here, she won't recover fully, being cooped up in here isn't doing her any good. I'm also sure she'll discharge herself at some point anyway.'_ Nathan thought to himself as he watched Zoë's eyes beginning to fill with tears as she began to play with the ring on her left hand. "I will let you leave on one condition though." Nathan said as he placed his hands on his hips. He watched both her eyes and Horatio's eyes come alive as they both looked at him intensely as Horatio rubbed the back of Zoë's hand, just hoping for her sake that he was going to let them go free.

"What is it?" Zoë questioned as she sat forwards, giving Nathan her entire attention as she stopped fiddling with her ring.

"That Horatio is happy to let you leave, and if he promises to call me if he starts to struggle." Nathan said as he looked up at Horatio. Zoë turned to look at Horatio and he nodded confidently. "Horatio, do you really think you're able to handle the situations that could present?" Nathan asked seriously.

Horatio took a few moments to think to himself as Zoë looked up at him with pleading eyes. But he didn't look over to her as he knew that if he looked at her, he'd say yes. He wanted to be sure that he was confident in taking on a little more responsibility and not just giving in to Zoë.

"Yes." Horatio replied confidently as he nodded at Nathan and felt Zoë's hand tighten on his as she grinned up at them as they concentrated on each other.

"Promise me that you'll call me if you're struggling? Because if you start to struggle and get stressed it's going to hinder her progress and it'll probably cause her to get worse if she sees you beginning to struggle." Nathan said softly as he crossed his arms, and tried to assess Horatio's reactions to see whether Horatio was really up to it or not, but Horatio seemed very confident and didn't give Nathan any doubt at all.

"Yes, I promise." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded as he uncrossed his arms and then looked down to Zoë as she beamed up at them with a blissful grin.

"Okay, I'm happy to let you both leave then, but no driving for you Zoë. Horatio, you can drive, but only drive if it's necessary. No work at all, Horatio I'd say you can go back to work in a few days, but you need to keep a close eye on Zoë, so you can't go back until she can ideally. Be careful of your head Zoë, don't leave her unattended anywhere outside of the house. Zoë, if you feel as if you're about to lash out and get angry, I suggest that you walk out of the room and go and cool yourself off alone in another room. Horatio, give her space in these situations. No babies just yet, that extra stress on your body could cause some adverse reactions both physically and mentally. Sex is good though, eat properly, Zoë please try and dress. I don't want to see you running through the streets of Miami on TV naked, because I will drag you back here kicking and screaming if I have to. You might find that things will get worse before they get better. Be careful of Horatio's chest, he's hurting, whether he admits it or not. Horatio, take those painkillers or I'll be over yours shooting you full of painkillers myself. Horatio, make sure Zoë takes her painkillers too, please. Last of all, please don't end up back here." Nathan said softly and they both nodded with smiles.

"Thank you Nathan!" She grinned as she rose to her knees and pulled Nathan close. She hugged him tightly and then released him to grin up at Horatio.

Nathan looked back to Horatio seriously. "Horatio, are you sure you're happy with this, there's no problem if you're not 100%." Nathan said softy and Horatio exhaled, getting tired of Nathan asking him if he was sure.

"I'm sure, thank you." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded.

"Okay, you can both leave in that case, be careful please, any problems give me a ring." Nathan said softly and Zoë sprang off the bed and embraced him tightly again as Horatio placed his hand on her shoulder. She placed her chin on his chest as she looked up at him with an ecstatic grin. "Listen to Horatio, okay? If you don't I will have you back here." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she pulled away. Horatio shook Nathan's hand with a nod and then backed off and placed his hand on Zoë's upper back with a contented smile.

"Thank you, once again Nathan." Horatio said softly.

"Thank you!" Zoë said as she hugged him once again. Horatio picked up the iPad and put it in the bag Alexx had brought with the packet of crisps. Zoë backed off from Nathan and watched Horatio pull on his jacket on and then pick the bag up and put it on his shoulder. She quickly skipped over to him as she pulled the bottoms of the trousers up and stood in front of him as she beamed up at him like an excited child at Christmas.

"I need to get wheelchairs, I'll be back." Nathan said softly as he headed for the door.

"Technically you discharged me the other day, so you have no need for a wheelchair for me." Horatio said as he placed his hand on his hip and looked at Nathan with a sly smile.

"Okay Horatio, just one for Zoë then." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded contently. He walked out and Joe walked in as Horatio smiled down at Zoë and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. She then turned around when she heard Joe behind her.

"We're going home!" Zoë said with a grin and Joe smiled, he'd already guessed that from the bag over Horatio's shoulder.

"That's fantastic news, Kaitlin and I will be staying in a hotel just up from you." Joe said softly and she nodded as Nathan walked back in with a wheelchair. "We'll leave as soon as you guys get home and are sure you're okay." Joe said softly and Zoë nodded as she got into the wheelchair as Nathan gestured to it. She took hold of Horatio's hand as they walked out. Nathan stopped just outside the front of the hospital and put the brakes on.

"Thank you so much Nathan." She said as she got up and then gave him another hug. She gave him a kiss on the cheek as she pulled away and then took hold of Horatio's arm as he shook Nathan's hand with his other hand. Zoë squinted at him with a brilliant smile and a sigh of relief, so happy to feel the sun hit her face.

"Thank you Nathan." Joe said as he firmly shook Nathan's hand as Horatio and Zoë stepped back to allow him some room. Nathan nodded at Joe and gave him a smile.

"Take care, okay?" Nathan said softly and both Horatio and Zoë nodded.

"See you soon sweetie." She smiled and Nathan gave her a nod and then turned to walk back in. They both then looked over to Joe for the direction of the car and he gestured in the direction of the car park.

"The car is just in the car park." Joe said softly and they nodded and followed him over to where it was parked. Zoë squealed when she saw her car in front of them. Both Joe and Horatio could see that she was truly ecstatic to be out.

"I'll drive, thank you Joe." Horatio said softly and he nodded and then handed him the keys.

"Why were your keys at home anyway?" Horatio asked Zoë as he held her door open for her to get in.

"I don't really need it anymore do I, you usually drive and we usually use your car." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded and then helped her into the front passenger seat and closed the door. They pulled off once they all had their seatbelts on.

"I can't wait to sleep in our bed." Zoë smiled as she looked over to Horatio and then placed her hand on his thigh.

"Neither." He smiled back at her. '_It feels so good to be able to drive again. She's so happy too, I don't want that smile to ever fade.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he watched her smile away through the corner of his eye.

"Are you sure you're okay with staying in a hotel?" Zoë asked softly as she turned in the seat and looked at Joe with a soft expression and removed her hand from Horatio's thigh.

"Yes, absolutely fine with it." Joe said softly and she nodded as she looked back out of the front window. A couple of minutes passed and both Horatio and Joe noticed that Zoë's breathing had got deeper and a little more rapid.

"Zoë, are you okay sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly as he placed his hand over her thigh and glanced over to her a few times.

"We're going to crash!" Zoë yelled as she reached out for the wheel. Horatio looked back out the front window but there were no hazards or nothing that they were going to crash into. "We're going to die!" Zoë panicked.

"Zoë, calm down for me sweetheart." Horatio said clearly as he gently pushed her hands away from the wheel, but she persisted on trying to reach it.

"Joe, help me please." Horatio asked as Zoë took her seatbelt off and tried to climb over to Horatio's side as Joe took his off and wrapped his arms around her waist to try and get her back in her seat but she accidentally elbowed him in the chest hard, but he continued to try and get her back.

"Horatio! We're going to crash!" Zoë panicked more as she took hold of the wheel and began to turn it.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Horatio managed to keep the steering on track as Joe gently pulled her back. Horatio quickly pulled over and into a car park and exhaled a sigh of relief as he pinched the bridge of his nose, thankful that they had Joe in the car with them. '_Nearly ended up back in the hospital.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he took a deep breath and looked over to Zoë with soft eyes as Joe held her back in the seat while she tried to get out of his grip, frantically.

"Zoë, sweetheart, we're safe." Horatio said as he turned to her and took his seatbelt off. He placed both of his hands on her thigh as she reached out for him with her left hand and took hold of his jacket while she reached out to the front with her right and placed her feet on the dashboard.

"We're crashing! They're going to kill us Horatio!" Zoë shouted as she looked around as Horatio removed one hand from her thigh and placed it on her upper arm. He gave her a very gentle expression as she frantically looked around as if she was looking for something or someone. "Where are they? They've gone." Zoë said as she looked around more and held his jacket tighter as she dropped her feet from the dashboard and sat up straight, she looked at the static cars around them, parked and people walking past to the shop beside the car park, minding their own business. Zoë frowned as she looked around again.

"Where are who Zoë?" Horatio asked as he tilted his head at her, as Joe's grip on her loosened, deeming it safe to let her go.

"Those SUV's" Zoë panicked as she looked at him and placed her hands on his arms and sat forwards to look at him intensely, highly confused too.

"Zoë, we're safe. I think you just saw our crash from the other week." Horatio said as he placed his hand on the side of her face and swept his thumb over the soft skin on her cheek. She swallowed and frowned at him as she tilted her head.

"No, they were just pushing us into the water." Zoë shook her head and tightened her grip on his arm as she glanced around again.

"Zoë, that was a few weeks ago. Calm down sweetheart, you're safe." Horatio said softly as he stroked her other cheek with his thumb after removing his hand from her thigh. She quickly climbed over to him and hugged him as she straddled him in the front seat. She closed her eyes and felt his calm breathing and slowed hers to his rate. She closed her eyes and buried her nose into his hair and took his scent in, calming her further.

"I love you Horatio, I don't want to die." She said as she began to sob.

"We're not dying sweetheart, we're safe. We're on our way home. I love you too. Shall we get into the back and let Joe drive?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she sat back on the wheel and wiped her eyes with her left hand. When she sat on the horn Horatio pulled her closer to him and he then looked back to Joe who nodded at him. Horatio got out with Zoë and swapped with Joe.

"Thank you." Horatio said softly as he got Zoë into the back as Joe passed them and hopped into the front.

"Put your seatbelt on sweetheart." Horatio said as he sat next to her and she did as he asked. Joe pulled off once they were strapped in and calm. Horatio put his arm around her and comforted her while she wiped her eyes. She then placed her hand over his thigh as she looked up at him.

"That's how we crashed?" Zoë asked Horatio and he nodded with a gentle smile before sweeping one last tear that was just about to fall from the corner of her eye. "Who were they?" Zoë asked as she shuffled closer to him and put her head down on his shoulder.

"Eric's on that right now, he thinks that Joe LeBrock has something to do with it though." Horatio said softly as he tenderly rubbed her thigh and then kissed the top of her head.

"Who's Joe LeBrock?" Zoë asked as she lifted her head and looked up at Horatio, inquisitively.

"A nasty piece of work who is in prison." Horatio said lowly as he felt the fire within his stomach ignite into a smouldering flame, ready to burn hot and fast when the time came.

"Is he going to try and kill us again?" Zoë asked quietly as she looked into both of his eyes, worried about their lives.

"As soon as we're well enough, I'm going to have some words with him and he won't be seeing anyone ever again." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as she placed her head back on his shoulder. She immediately felt safe when she heard the determination and conviction in Horatio's voice. They arrived home and Horatio helped Zoë out and then picked up the bag and put it over his shoulder.

"Thank you Joe." Horatio said as he closed the car door after them. They walked up to the door and Horatio let them in. Kaitlin ran straight to Zoë and embraced her tightly as Horatio stepped back.

"Welcome home gorgeous." She said as she wrapped her arms around Zoë as Horatio moved past them and into the kitchen with Joe following.

"Thank you" Zoë said softly and then pulled away from her and gave her a small smile. She then quickly followed Horatio through to the kitchen with Kaitlin following her closely.

"How are you feeling?" Kaitlin asked warmly once they got into the kitchen.

"I'm good thank you." Zoë said quietly as she glanced at Kaitlin.

"Are you sure? You've been crying again." Kaitlin said softly as she reached out and placed her hand gently on Zoë's upper arm.

"Yeah, I just panicked a little in the car." Zoë said softly and Kaitlin nodded with an understanding, sympathetic look.

"Oh babe." Kaitlin said softly and Zoë gave her a small shy smile as she moved closer to Horatio and took hold of his arm. They all saw a dramatic change in Zoë's body language as soon as she made contact with Horatio, she seemed to look more confident and happy.

"How have you been? Coped with the house alright?" Zoë asked softly as she tilted her head with a gentle smile.

"Yeah, it's a gorgeous house, and the beach is fantastic. We'll have to go sunbathing one day! I've already been shopping for you guys so you don't need to worry about that." She said softly with her smile widening as she watched Zoë come alive. '_That's my Zoë, confident and bouncy.'_ She thought to herself while Joe thought something along the same lines.

"Thank you Kate." Zoë smiled a little more naturally she then tilted her head and studied her.

"What?" Kaitlin asked with a smile. '_She's picked up on the clothes, I wondered how long that would take.'_ Kaitlin thought to herself as her smile turned into a cheeky grin as Zoë's eyes scanned her body.

"Is that my top? Have you been in my wardrobe?" Zoë asked with a chuckle as she smiled brilliantly at her and placed her other hand on her hip.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. You always have the best clothes." She smiled and Zoë giggled as she shook her head, amused. '_I knew she'd be in the wardrobe as soon as she got here anyway… she's not changed one bit.' _Zoë thought to herself. '_That top looks really cute on her though, much better on her than me. In fact, all my clothes look better on her than me!'_ Zoë thought to herself as she studied Kaitlin's straight hair and happy blue eyes. '_She's even got my lip gloss on…'_ Zoë thought to herself as her smile widened more so. Zoë giggled a little more as she glanced up at Horatio as he began to rub her lower back."I also tried to get on those lovely black skinny jeans but they were too small you skinny bitch. Get fat already. Or get pregnant, then I can have all of your clothes because you won't be able to get into them." Kaitlin smiled at her as she leant on the counter and Zoë chuckled again. She moved away from Horatio a little once she felt a little more comfortable as she began to bite her lip gently. "I also slept in your pjs, I'm sorry." Kaitlin smiled and Zoë chuckled again with her natural smile widening from ear to ear.

"See, I told you it's a weird relationship you two have." Joe said as he shook his head and they both turned and laughed at him.

"She's welcome to it, the amount of times I slept in her things, in her bed and borrowed her clothes and stuff she can do what she wants." Zoë chuckled as she played with Horatio's fingers.

"I wouldn't have slept in your pjs if I had brought my own, so I'm not that weird." Kaitlin grinned as she shook her head, trying to defend the relationship she and Zoë had a little.

"No, you are weird, then again I am too, that's why we're best friends." Zoë grinned and Kaitlin chuckled.

"Please don't tell me that you wore her underwear as well?" Joe questioned with a slight grimace, unsure whether she actually had gone through Zoë's underwear draw and they both laughed more.

"No, that's where we draw the line." Kaitlin grinned as she shook her head.

"I don't know… we've tried each other's bras before, remember? Your bloody bra fit my head, mine barely fit your fist…" Zoë chuckled and Kaitlin laughed too as she smiled at Zoë, so happy to see Zoë laughing and well. She couldn't help but find herself staring at Zoë with a happy smile, having not seen her in so long and loving her perfect smile.

"Anyway babe, we should be off. I'm happy you're home. We'll be down for a few days so call if you need anything or if you want a coffee or something." Kaitlin said softly and Zoë nodded.

"Thank you Kate." Zoë said as she moved away from Horatio and then hugged Kaitlin warmly.

"Take care gorgeous." She said softly.

"You too." Zoë said softly. They pulled from the hug and then kissed each other's cheeks.

"Take care Horatio, see you soon, take care of my girl and thank you." She said as she shook Horatio's hand and then pulled him in to give him a kiss on the cheek while Zoë gave Joe a warm hug. Horatio was a little shocked, he didn't know what to do, he was rarely kissed on the cheeky by anyone and she took him by surprise.

"Thank you for everything Joe, it means a lot to me that you've stuck by me even though I've been a complete bitch at times." She said as he rubbed her back lightly.

"Don't worry about it darling, if you need anything, give me a call, although I'm sure Horatio will make sure you're okay. Take care okay and be careful please." Joe said softly as Zoë ran her fingers over his back.

"I will, thank you Bunny." She said as she pulled from the hug and they smiled at each other. Joe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and then looked up to Horatio and shook his hand after stepping to the side of Zoë so she could hug Kaitlin again.

"Thank you Joe." Horatio said sincerely and Joe gave him a nod and wink.

"Take care, ring if you need anything." Joe said softly and Horatio nodded as Zoë moved over to him and took his hand in hers. Zoë and Horatio walked them to the door where their cases were and then said bye again as they left. Horatio closed the door and then pulled Zoë in to hug.

"Okay sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly before he kissed the top of her head with delicacy.

"Yeah, sorry handsome" Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded and they then walked into the kitchen with relieved smiles, both happy to be back in their own home.

"Salad?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded with a smile as her eyes fell to his body to get a look at his ass as he turned around to the fridge. He turned back with a few items in his hands and caught her staring at his ass. She looked back up at his boyish grin and smiled cheekily herself.

"Thank you." She said as she pulled the bag from the counter and then walked out. Horatio watched her walk out and looked to her ass but couldn't get any definition as she was wearing his trousers that were too big for her. She walked upstairs with the bag to put things away and then came back down with the washing basket and put some washing on. She walked back into the kitchen just as Horatio put two plates on the counter.

"Chicken salad?" Horatio asked softly and Zoë smiled at him.

"You'll get used to the relationship I have with Kaitlin, Joe still finds it hilarious." She smiled at him and he nodded with a smile. '_I had a feeling they were very close.'_ Horatio thought to himself. "It was practically love at first sight when she joined the school. We've been close ever since." Zoë said softly and Horatio nodded again as he set down two large glasses of water and tablets for the both of them.

"Thank you Horatio." She said softly as she sat up at the counter with him. She then looked to his plate and cutlery and bit her lip. She looked up at Horatio as he swapped the plates, cutlery and glasses around and then watched a smile form on Zoë's face as she picked up the fork. They both ate the lunch, keeping the conversation pleasant and flowing well. Horatio made sure she had her painkillers before he allowed her to leave the counter.

They relaxed on the sofa with a film on in the background after eating brunch. Both of them mainly dozed as their painkillers made them slightly drowsy but woke often. Once the film finished Zoë picked the remote up to change the channel but the batteries had died. Her jaw tensed as she glared at the remote dangerously. Horatio sat up when he saw her about to lose it as her face flushed red while her grip on the remote tightened considerably.

"Fucking remote!" She raised her voice as she threw it into the fireplace and then fiercely got up. She quickly stalked out of the room with her tight fists beside her hips and went upstairs to cool herself off while Horatio got up and picked the remote back up and changed the batteries. Zoë came downstairs 5 minutes later and apologised to Horatio as she slumped back on the sofa beside him. He gave her a quick kiss and then put his arms around as she relaxed further.

"Can we go for a walk, please?" Zoë asked and Horatio nodded. '_I could do with a walk myself, I just need to get her to change into something other than my clothes.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he glanced down at her in the oversized shirt and trousers.

"Shall we go and get changed first?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded as she sat back up and then got up. They went upstairs but Zoë refused to change into anything else once she was undressed.

"Zoë, you can't go for a walk naked." Horatio exhaled softly as he looked at her standing in front of him, completely naked with her hands on her hips as she tilted her head at him.

"Why not?" She questioned as she began to get stressed again, he could see her tensing slightly. He glanced down at the floor as he tried to collect his thoughts as he tried to work out a way to get her to dress without causing conflict.

He looked back up to her with soft, calm eyes as he stepped forwards. "It's not the done thing Zoë, you will be arrested for indecent exposure." Horatio said softly as he tried to remain calm himself. She scowled at him before she turned around and walked back out of the room and went downstairs. Horatio's jaw tensed as he felt his stress beginning to stack up as he quickly rushed after her. His heartbeat had picked up. '_She's going to go outside, she's going to get herself arrested and Nathan will have to take her back.'_ Horatio thought to himself, beginning to really panic. "Zoë, please." Horatio asked as he placed his hand on her upper arm and tried to turn her but she resisted and pulled out from his grip.

"Give me space Horatio!" She raised her voice as she walked through the house.

"You're not going outside, Zoë." Horatio said firmly as he continued to follow her, readying himself to dash forwards and lock the door before she reached it.

She stopped and turned to him with her eyes burning hot. "No I'm not, I'm trying to cool myself off because you're fucking me off." She raised her voice. Horatio quickly backed off after giving her a nod and raised his hands in submission. She swallowed and glared at him, trying her best to keep a lid on it. He turned around to break the heated glare and walked into the living room and slumped on the sofa. He rested his head back on the sofa and then rubbed his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose. '_I guess I do have to blame myself for antagonising her on that one. I should have left her be, I know that she wouldn't go out naked really.' _Horatio thought to himself as he heard her walk up the stairs and left her too it. He hadn't heard a thing from her in 7 minutes, so thought it was best to leave her be in case she was still fuming. He decided that he was going to check up on Eric by ringing him. He was on the phone to Eric for 30 minutes and stopped talking when he heard Zoë shouting upstairs, shouting as if she was shouting at someone. '_Oh no, she sounds like she shouting out the window at someone.'_ Horatio thought as he quickly rose to his feet and rushed out.

"Hold on Eric." Horatio said as he ran up the stairs and down the hall, hearing her voice get louder as he covered the microphone on his phone. He walked into one of the guest rooms and saw Zoë sat on one of the beds shouting at the TV screen. He sighed with relief as he watched her sit cross legged on the bed with a controller in her hands. He looked to the screen and saw a character in amour and a large gun. '_At least she's shouting at the TV and not some innocent passer-by as I initially thought.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Fucking die you slut!" Zoë shouted as she pushed the buttons fast on the xbox controller as her muscles tensed. He saw her glaring viciously at the TV. '_I can really see that controller going through the screen.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Zoë, everything okay?" Horatio asked softly as he leant against the doorframe and tilted his head.

"Yeah this twat keeps killing me!" Zoë said firmly as she looked round to him for a second before looking back to the screen. '_I didn't even know there was a games console in the house.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Okay sweetheart, try and keep it cool." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked round to him again. He gave her a small smile, not wishing to argue with her and backed off. He walked back down the hall as he raised the phone back to his ear.

"Sorry Eric, Zoë's on the xbox… I think it's an xbox anyway, some sort of games console, they all confuse me." Horatio said as he walked back down the hall slowly, keeping an ear out for Zoë's cursing which had suddenly stopped. He was just about to go down the stairs when he turned around as he heard her footsteps behind him. He dropped the phone just as she jumped at him and wrapped her legs around his hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm so sorry Horatio." She mumbled as she kissed him and he groaned as he grimaced.

"Zoë, be gentle please." He groaned as he pushed her from him and she stood in front of him, looking up to him as he swallowed and began to soothe his ribs. She quickly turned and ran back down the hall and into the guest room. Horatio took a few deep breaths before he picked the phone back up off the floor.

"Everything okay, H?" Eric questioned when he heard Horatio take another deep breath as he continued to try and soothe his ribs, but nothing seemed to be working.

"Yes, Zoë's just having a bit of a moment." Horatio said softly as he walked down the stairs and rubbed his hurting ribs more lightly when he caused himself more pain.

"How are you doing?" He asked softly as Horatio walked into the kitchen and pulled out more painkillers as his ribs had begun to hurt more with each breath he was taking. '_She didn't mean to hurt you, try not to get stress about it.'_ Horatio told himself as he poured a glass of water.

"Good thank you Eric, glad to be back in the comfort of our own home." Horatio said softly before swallowing the two pills with two gulps of water. Once they'd finished their conversation, Horatio started to prepare dinner. He moved about the kitchen with ease, as his ribs felt fine. He put the pie in the oven and then put the vegetables on. He went through to the living room after picking up the iPad and checking e-mails and messages from various people. Once the dinner was done, he got up and walked into the kitchen to dish dinner up.

"Zoë, can you please put something to wear on, dinner is done." Horatio called up clearly. He stopped dishing up when he didn't get a response and frowned to himself as he remained silent, listening for any sound at all. But he didn't even hear the sound of rapid gunfire from the game she was playing.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"Zoë, come on sweetheart." Horatio called as he walked up the stairs and down the hall to the guest room where he saw her asleep on the bed. He couldn't help but smile to himself as he studied her curled into the foetal position with a gentle expression on her face. He walked over to her and sat down. He reached over and threaded his fingers in her hair which caused her to stir. "Come on sweetheart, dinner is done." Horatio said softly as he then removed his hand from her hair and ran the back of his index finger from the corner of her eyes, over her smooth cheek to her chin as she opened her eyes and squinted.

"Mmm?" She moaned as she looked up to Horatio, blinking as the bright natural light flowed through the window.

"Dinner is done." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she sat up and raised her hand to her forehead before running her hand through her hair and giving him a tired smile.

"Sorry." She said as she rubbed one of her eyes and then covered her mouth as she yawned.

"Come on sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he gently took one of her hands and led her into the bedroom, he kept himself calm as he knew it was going to be a struggle to get her to dress again. He knew if he stressed, she'd get stressed as he'd picked up on the fact that she would become more distressed if he got stressed himself.

"You need to wear something at the table sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he gave her a gentle expression and then walked over to her underwear draw.

"No!" She replied as she stepped back and folded her arms across her bare chest.

He exhaled softly and looked back to her with soft eyes. "Anything, even if it's just underwear." Horatio asked and she shook her head as she pressed her lips together firmly. Horatio closed the draw and looked over to the back of the bedroom door as he ran a hand through his hair. His eyes rested on their dressing downs as his eyes lit up.

"How about a dressing gown?" Horatio asked and she tilted her head as her lips softened. He felt a wad of internal stress alleviate when he saw a window of opportunity.

"Yes? A dressing gown?" Horatio asked enthusiastically and she nodded as she unfolded her arms and looked back to the bedroom door. She turned and walked over to the back of the door and picked up his dark blue dressing gown, rather than her large fluffy white and pink dressing gown or her red silky gown.

"You don't want to wear yours?" Horatio asked and she shook her head as she slipped the gown on and smiled sweetly at Horatio.

"Okay sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he nodded, just thankful that she was wearing something. They then walked downstairs and had their dinner, Zoë wanted to swap plates and cutlery again, Horatio knew it was going to happen so he had put the plate with less food on in front of himself as he knew she didn't eat as much as he did. They had dinner and then sat on the sofa together, both happy and content with full stomachs.

"Why don't you want to wear clothes, Zoë?" Horatio asked softly as he played with her hair, hoping it would keep her calm.

"I don't know, I want to, but something's telling me not to." She said as she glanced up at Horatio, calmly. He felt relief in that she wasn't going to flip at him.

He pressed his lips together and looked down at her, studying her gentle facial expression as she looked up at him sweetly. She then moved to sit between his legs across the sofa, giving Horatio time to compose himself, ready for his next question and preparing himself for the potential outburst. "It's not him telling you not to, is it?" Horatio asked, referring to her father as he began to also rub her stomach lightly after covering her breasts with the dressing down.

"No, I don't know what it is." Zoë said while she shrugged as she looked at him innocently and sweetly and he nodded, happy that she wasn't letting her father back in.

"Well done for wearing the dressing gown though sweetheart." Horatio praised her and she gave him a smile as she placed one of her hands over the hand he had on her stomach.

"It smells like you, I like it." She smiled up at him as she began to play with his fingers.

"Is that why you're wearing my clothes instead of yours? Because they smell like me?" Horatio asked and she shook her head as she looked back to the TV.

"I don't know why I want to wear your clothes." She shrugged while Horatio looked down at her and watched her chest rise and fall slowly. He then watched her cover her mouth as she yawned, causing him to yawn widely and cover his mouth.

"Bath and then early bed?" Horatio asked and she nodded with her concentration still on the TV. "I'll change your bandage after the bath." Horatio said softly and she nodded. They sat together for another 30 minutes, silently, both playing with each other's fingers. Horatio continuously looked down at Zoë, studying her every facial expression, her every move and often watched their hands play about with each other. They eventually went upstairs and Horatio had a shower in the main bathroom while Zoë bathed in there with him. He wanted to keep an eye on her so didn't leave her alone at all. He got out and dressed and then helped her out of the bath and made sure she was dry. She refused to wear anything but a pair of his boxers once they walked through to the bedroom. She then smiled at him as she climbed into bed after he did. She wrapped her arm around his stomach as she moved as close to him as she could, placing one of her legs between his as she kissed his shoulder.

She closed her eyes as he smiled up at the ceiling, feeling her warm skin against his, her breasts against the side of his chest, right were one of his worst fractures were but they didn't hurt at all, they even seemed to be soothing the pain. He felt himself come alive in his boxers when he thought about her bare breasts against his bare skin. He felt her breath repeatedly roll over his shoulder as her chest moved gently against his. He felt her move her leg slightly and he knew she was smiling. He didn't even need to look over to her as he could feel the smile on her face as she kissed his shoulder once more and moved her thigh against his again. He felt the soft skin of her inner thigh move over his and he swallowed as he felt so hot in his boxers. "This is where I don't mind if you want to be naked." He whispered softly as he turned his head and looked down at her.

She opened her eyes and looked up into his, her brown eyes connecting with his blue as her smile widened. "I love being in our bed with you." She smiled as she moved her arm from his stomach and began to lightly rub his chest, running her hand over his chest hair, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand to attention.

"Me too sweetheart." Horatio smiled as he moved and placed his arm under her neck so she rested her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and began to lightly sweep his fingertips over her back. They looked into each other's dreamy eyes, feeling their strong connection.

He then saw a glint of guilt pop up in her eyes and she looked away from him and down at his shoulder, focusing on a freckle, allowing her fingertips to dance through his chest hair lightly. "Horatio, I'm sorry for losing it again earlier, and I'm so sorry for swearing at you. I literally don't know what possesses me to use such language and aim it at you. I feel absolutely awful about it, I'm scared I'm going to say something that'll really hurt you Horatio." She said honestly before she swallowed and then kissed the particular freckle she was concentrating on lightly. He then raised his other hand from the side of the bed and placed his fingers beneath her chin. He lifted her head gently and let his eyes connect with hers once more.

"Zoë, you really don't need to apologise sweetheart, I understand, I've felt what you've felt and I understand that things can be said that you really don't mean, it's not a big deal sweetheart. I understand that it isn't you shouting and swearing, it's okay." Horatio said softly as he stroked her back lovingly and moved his head closer to hers as he continued to hold her gaze.

"I'm also really sorry for jumping on you and being too rough, I wanted to say sorry, but I went the wrong way about it, I know, but at the time I wasn't even thinking properly – it seemed perfectly acceptable. I just hope that I didn't hurt you at all." She said softly as she furrowed her eyebrows, looking into his soft, welcoming eyes.

"Don't worry about a thing sweetheart." Horatio said softly and then placed a delicate kiss on her lips before nuzzling her nose lightly. They both closed their eyes and rubbed their noses together for a few minutes, just thinking about the other.

"It's so good to be in this bed without wires everywhere." Zoë said softly, breaking the silence and Horatio nodded as he opened his eyes just as she did.

"I couldn't agree more." He said softly as he continued to stroke her back, feeling her soft skin unwrap beneath his touch. Zoë closed her eyes for good after giving him a goodnight kiss and snuggled up close to him.

"I like your pants, they're comfortable." She smiled as she whispered and then lightly bit her lip, awaiting for his response.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that." Horatio smiled as he closed his eyes and then rubbed his nose against hers once more, amused. '_Is Emily asleep yet?'_ Zoë thought to herself as she opened her eyes and saw Horatio really relaxing.

"I'm going to check on Emily." She said warmly as she rolled away from him and began to get out of bed after kicking the duvet off her.

"Zoë, we don't have children." Horatio said as he reached out and took hold of her hand, preventing her from getting out of bed. She glanced round to Horatio and exhaled a small chuckle as she shook her head.

"I'll be two seconds, I want to make sure she's sleeping well." Zoë said with a sweet smile as she tried to pull her hand from his, but he didn't release her.

"Zoë, Emily and Olivia were part of a dream, they aren't real sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he sat up and looked up at her concerned. She saw the concern glistening in his eyes before she looked down to the cream sheet and remembered that it was just a dream.

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry Horatio. I must be tired." She said warmly as she got back into the bed and moved closer to Horatio. He wrapped his arms around her again and turned onto his side, pulling her as close to him as he could. He placed a quick, delicate kiss on her lips, but she didn't return it after they'd kissed as she usually did and he knew something was eating at her. '_Now she's getting better, the thought of not having Emily or Olive around will probably really affect her.'_ Horatio thought to himself, thinking that was the problem. "I loved the name Emily, now I don't feel like I can use it for our real children." Zoë exhaled and he relaxed a little. '_That wasn't the problem. I have to say I'm relieved to hear that, it would be even more difficult if she felt like she really had lost two children. But I have to agree with her. I did like the name Emily, Emily Caine.' _Horatio thought to himself.

"It was just a dream, Zoë, of course you can use it." Horatio said softly, trying to comfort her.

"No, but as the dream felt so real, Emily had her personality, she was a real person to me. I don't know if you experience the same, but she was my baby. I can't call my real baby Emily because it's like she's replacing Emm, but she won't be. I know it sounds stupid, Horatio." Zoë said softly as she sighed and looked down to his chest as she began to run her fingers through his chest hair once more.

"I know what you mean beautiful, there's plenty of other names we can look at too, so don't worry too much." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked back up to him with a gentle expression.

"It feels weird to sleep naked." She said as she relaxed again with a smile appearing on her face.

"Good or bad weird?" Horatio asked softly, feeling a smile pull at his lips.

"Good, I think I'll do it more often." She grinned as she closed her eyes and felt his minty breath pass her lips as he chuckled.

"I don't have any complaints with that." He smiled as he looked over to her and watched her with her eyes closed.

"Goodnight beautiful." Horatio said softly as he ran his hand up the length of her spine.

"Goodnight handsome, I love you." She said quietly.

"I love you too." He said before they gave each other another kiss and then relaxed back together. Zoë quickly fell asleep while Horatio lay awake for a little longer, watching her once again. He felt her warm skin beneath his hand and he sighed. '_I just hope that she gets better soon, Nathan was right, I can't deal with this if her moods get worse or if she plays up as much. I didn't realise just how much Nathan was doing to keep me from getting stressed as well as keeping her happy and comfortable. I have to be strong for her though, I know she doesn't mean what she says. I think if anything's going to be difficult it will be her refusing to dress.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

'_Once she's a little better and throwing less tantrums and agrees to dress, I'm going back to work, but she'll have to come with me. I have to work the case, I need to find out if Joe LeBrock did have anything to do with this, I need to put him straight. I can't chance something like this happening again. When did they even have the chance to cut the brakes on my hummer? It was never even out of my sight.'_ Horatio thought to himself but was pulled from his thoughts when Zoë moved a little and let out a few contented moans. He quickly fell asleep when he moved a little closer to her.

"Horatio!" Zoë screamed at the top of her lungs at 5.30AM the next morning. He woke immediately and ran out of the bedroom to where her screams were coming from. His heart rate had more than doubled as he felt it pounding in his chest, releasing adrenaline. He ran into the guestroom where she was stood in the middle, looking around frantically.

"Emily and Olivia are gone Horatio! Someone's taken them! Someone has our babies! Olive was in our room! She's not there anymore! Where are they Horatio?!" Zoë questioned frantically as she rushed over to him and took hold of his upper arms as he looked into her eyes and saw her frantic panic. He took hold of her upper arms and held her steady as she looked around again. .

"Zoë." Horatio said and she looked round to him with her panicked expression increasing as his panic slowly decreased. "Zoë, Zoë calm down sweetheart. Calm down, we don't have children, Emily and Olivia were a part of a dream, they aren't real." Horatio said smoothly as he rubbed her back and embraced her.

"What? They aren't real?" Zoë questioned with her grip still tight on his biceps. She listened to his slowing heartbeat and tried to slow her breathing down when she saw that he wasn't panicked.

"No, they were a part of a dream, remember?" Horatio asked warmly and she felt his chest vibrate against her head as she closed her eyes and felt his voice move through her body.

"Oh yeah… I'm so sorry Horatio, I thought someone had taken them and all of their stuff." Zoë said softly. '_How could I think that someone had got in and left everything but their baby stuff? Am I crazy?'_ She thought to herself as she completely calmed herself down and then pulled back once she loosened her grip on his biceps. She felt his grip loosen on her when he saw her calming.

"It's okay sweetheart, don't worry about it." Horatio said softly before he successfully got her back to bed without a problem.

He was woken that morning by Zoë walking back into the bedroom with two mugs of coffee with an excitable smile.

"Morning beautiful, thank you." Horatio said as he quickly sat up and took the mug from her.

"Morning handsome" she said brightly as she hopped into bed again and flicked the TV on. He could see that she was very energetic and happy. Her eyes were glued to the TV while Horatio studied her and mildly frowned.

"Perhaps coffee isn't the best thing for this morning?" Horatio asked when she couldn't sit still on the bed – once she finished playing with her hands she was playing with her feet or moving her legs, or even pulling at the duvet.

"Why?" She questioned when she looked round to him as she pulled at the rim of the boxers.

"Well, you're already struggling to sit still, coffee will only wake you up more." Horatio smiled sweetly at her, hoping to keep it calm between them. He watched her look over to her coffee mug and pick it up. She looked back to him and brought the mug up to her lips. He saw her eyes glimmer with defiance. "Don't drink the coffee, Zoë. If you want a drink, have some herbal tea or hot chocolate, please." He said softly but she picked up on his hint of firmness but she continued to tip the mug back and felt the hot sweet coffee make contact with her lips. "No coffee, Zoë." Horatio said more firmly as he quickly put his mug down and took hers away from her.

"Mmm!" She moaned as she glared at him while he put her mug down on his side and turned back to her.

"Zoë, no coffee." Horatio said firmly when his gentle eyes met her glare. She exhaled and then nodded and sat back as she looked up at the TV. She pulled her knees up to her chest and began to fiddle with her fingers again as she moved almost constantly. Horatio nearly spilt his coffee on occasions as she was even causing the bed to move due to her persistent fidgeting. '_This is going to be a difficult morning.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he manage to take a long slurp of coffee. He then sat back and engaged Zoe in a small conversation as they watched the news, Horatio couldn't help but watch her fidget. '_At least she didn't drink the coffee, she would have been far worse. Where is she getting this energy from?'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"I'm going for a shower." She said as she stood up on the bed and leapt off and skipped into the en-suite, happily. Horatio finished his coffee and then got up and walked into the en-suite to make sure she was okay, he couldn't help but smile when he heard her humming to herself as she energetically washed herself.

"Don't jump around in there." Horatio said softly and she nodded at him with a wide smile. He walked out and then picked up their mugs and went downstairs to put them in the dishwasher. He walked up the stairs with bandages as Zoë walked out of the en-suite.

"Nice shower?" Horatio asked and she nodded with a smile as she held the towel around herself. '_Why is she okay with a towel, but not clothes?' _ Horatio thought to himself.

"Come and sit down sweetheart, I'll change your bandages." Horatio said softly and she nodded with a smile as she skipped over to him and sat on the edge of the bed. He crouched in front of her and delicately took the wet bandages off and threw them away and then began to clean her hand again and then bandaged it up.

"Up for wearing clothes today?" Horatio asked enthusiastically, hoping it would engage her more with the idea but she looked away and exhaled as she pursed her lips.

"Okay sweetheart, I'm not going to force you, but you must wear something if someone comes round. Don't answer the door, okay?" Horatio said softly as he placed his hands on her knees as he looked up at her. She continued to look at the floor to his left and moaned as she pressed her lips into a hard line, feeling his eyes study her which was driving her agitation.

"Okay sweetheart, shall we go and get something to eat?" Horatio asked warmly when he saw her becoming agitated and she nodded as she looked back to him with her expression softening. She stood with him and walked out after him, leaving the towel on the bed.

"Don't want to put anything on?" Horatio asked softly and she shook her head as they made their way down the stairs. '_Perhaps I could get her to wear something without even asking. If I put the air-con on a little more, she'll feel a little cold and will put clothes on? I know it's not exactly the nicest thing to do, but if someone was to knock on the door… I'd rather do that than have her walk around naked in front of windows. I can't do that to her though, what if it causes more problems? It could dry the air out and play havoc with her asthma, I can't do that.' _He thought to himself as he ran his hand through his hair and looked at her naked body as she walked through to the kitchen in front of him. '_I don't really have much complaint, actually.'_ Horatio thought to himself as his eyes met with her perfectly shaped ass, he felt himself awaken in his boxers once more and took a deep breath. He looked up and away to try and calm himself as she walked over to the fruit bowl.

"What would you like?" Horatio asked softly, expecting her to want something like pancakes.

"I'm having some fruit. But thank you." She said as she picked up a banana. Horatio nodded and then picked up some fruit himself.

"Living room?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then picked up a magazine from the side and walked into the living room. Horatio tried engaging in conversation with her but she was too focused on the magazine so he flicked the TV on while they ate their breakfast. She suddenly threw the magazine across the room and then sat back as she pulled her knees up to her chest and put her feet on the sofa, having put the banana skin on a tea-plate that Horatio had brought through to put the fruit skin on.

"I'm sorry Horatio, I'm being a bitch again, I know." She apologised as he moved closer to her as she bowed her head and placed her forehead on her knees as she rubbed her shins with her hands.

"Don't worry sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she moved closer and leant against him. She picked up on his aroma surrounding her and felt herself relax slightly. He began to rub her back gently and felt her relax further as he kissed the top of her head tenderly. They sat together for a few minutes, Horatio trying to keep Zoë calm and Zoë trying to keep herself calm by focusing on Horatio's delicate touch.

"I'm going to play on the Xbox, are you coming? I can teach you how to play?" Zoë asked softly as she looked up to him with a sweet expression.

"I'll come and watch for a bit, but try and keep your language under wraps, please?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded and then got up. He followed her out and up the stairs, getting a full view of her ass, turning him on again after he'd managed to calm himself. She set it up as Horatio sat on the bed, admiring her perfectly shaped body and her bruised skin. She then sat between Horatio's legs and felt him wrap his arms around her. He looked up at the screen as it came alive.

"What's this game about?" Horatio questioned softly as he leant forwards and moved his hands from her stomach to her thighs.

"You kill everything." She said as she began to start shooting. '_This can't be good for her moods…'_ Horatio thought to himself as he watched for a few minutes.

"Die you bastard!" Zoë shouted as she tensed.

Horatio waited a few moments for her to calm down. "How about a different game?" Horatio asked quietly as he gently rubbed her thighs.

"No" she said as she moved from between his legs to kneel on the bed in front of him, giving the game her complete attention. "Die!" She yelled at the screen as she frantically pressed every button she could. Horatio sat back with a sigh and shook his head. "Die! Die you cu–" She said but was cut off.

"Zoë-Mae!" Horatio said firmly before she had a chance to finish her sentence, he was nearly disgusted with her language. '_I can't allow her to play a game that winds her up so much.'_ Horatio thought to himself. "Good" she said contently as she sat back down with a sweet smile once she'd killed whatever it was that she wanted to kill.

"Please change the game, Zoë." Horatio asked softly.

"No." She replied quickly.

"Change the game, Zoë." Horatio said a little firmer and she exhaled and paused the game and looked around to him with a mild glare. "This isn't good for your moods and your language is awful. So change the game, please." Horatio said firmly. She got up and put another game on and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"It's less violent." She mumbled and Horatio nodded, a little happier as he looked from the top of her head with his eyes slowly moving down to the top of her buttocks. Even her posture had him stirring in his boxers. He studied her back, she had curves in the correct places as she looked up at the screen, she'd completely forgotten that Horatio was even behind her. He didn't even care that her back was covered in scars, they didn't turn him off at all, if anything they turned him on because it makes him realise that she'd been through what he had, it builds their connection to know that they had similar childhoods. He even noticed that one of her larger scars was in the exact same place as one of his. He swallowed and placed his hand on his back, running the nail of his thumb up from the bottom of his spine to the middle of his spine. He then travelled to the right, along the bottom of his ribs at the back as his eyes followed the movement on Zoë's back. He suddenly took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and felt the bite of a leather belt exactly where his scar was. He quickly removed his hand and took hold of the duvet on the bed. He exhaled a heavy groan as he concentrated more on her scar and then closed his eyes again. His jaw tensed as he felt the hard-wooden floor of the hall in his parents' house make contact with his face. He took a deep breath as he held his eyes closed and began to sweat slightly feeling the burn of the tough leather rip into his skin again in the same place. He clenched his teeth together and opened his eyes to look at the scar on Zoë's back again. Suddenly, his vision changed, instead of him on the floor, he saw Zoë on the floor. '_No, please.'_ He begged his imagination. He watched from above as his father pulled back and readied the belt. He swallowed and watched his father strike Zoë, but she didn't scream, she didn't shout, she just writhed in pain. His heart felt like it had exploded.

"Zoë" Horatio called breathlessly as he watched his father pull back again, readying himself for another strike. Horatio took two fistfuls of the duvet cover as he gritted his teeth. Zoë hadn't even noticed Horatio behind her, she didn't turn around even though his breathing was heavy, she didn't even hear him call her name. Horatio took a deep breath and then held it as he watched his father strike Zoë one last time before he was ripped from the flashback when Zoë jumped up and screamed with excitement. She punched the air in celebration of killing off more than she had before. She sat back down as Horatio calmed his breathing and moved closer to Zoë as she leant forwards. '_Get a hold of yourself, old man.' _Horatio thought to himself as he wiped his brow of the beads of sweat that had collected with a tissue he pulled from his pocket. He swallowed and then looked back down to the scar on Zoë's back, he could still feel his back burning as if he'd recently been struck. He leant forwards and placed his palm over her scar and placed his lips and nose against her spine between her shoulder blades. He closed his eyes and ran his thumb over her scar. He felt the stinging in his back alleviate somewhat so repeated the action. The stinging decreased again as he exhaled against her back and then kissed her spine as he swept his thumb across the scar once more. All stinging and hurt had disappeared from his back and the vision had become a distant memory as he kissed her soft skin once more.

"Horatio?" Zoë asked as she turned around once she'd paused the game having felt him stroking and kissing her back. He sat up, hoping she wouldn't fly off the handle at him for disturbing her game. She gave him a sweet smile and then put the controller down as she gently took hold of the collar of his shirt and moved closer to him. She raised her other hand and placed it behind his head and took a light grasp of his hair. "You're so perfect." She whispered before her lips found his and her eyes closed. He lightly pecked her lips back as he closed his eyes and then felt her part her lips slightly. He parted his and deepened the kiss and felt his worries float away. Their breathing accelerated as Horatio bit one of her lips, knowing it turned her on. She replied by deepening the kiss more so and allowing her tongue to slide along the side of his. She then quickly pulled back and turned around and picked up the controller and began to play the game again. Horatio sat back up straight and blinked a few times as he swallowed. He smiled to himself. '_You're so perfect'_ he repeated in his head as his smile widened.

"I'm going to clean the bathroom sweetheart, are you okay here?" Horatio asked as he lightly rubbed her back. '_You're so perfect.'_ He repeated in his head again while his smile grew a little more.

"Yeah." She said softly as she glanced back to him. She then gave him a quick kiss on the lips and then looked back to the TV screen and carried on with the game as she was completely absorbed in it. Horatio quickly moved from her and walked into the main bathroom and began to clean it, having forgotten about the vision and replayed the steamy kiss and her beautiful words in his head. He finished changing the sheets and bedding on their bed and cleaned the two en-suites. Zoë jumped up when she heard a knock at the door and rushed out while Horatio was in the other guest room, cleaning the en-suite, he hadn't heard the door. Zoë walked downstairs, still naked and then opened the front door. She stood there naked and studied Ryan who was now looking exceptionally shocked. His mouth fell open as he looked up at her, speechless.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

"What do you want?" Zoë questioned bitterly as a deep frown developed while his eyes dropped and studied her body again. He took a broken breath and glanced up at her, looking into her eyes before his eyes fell to her body again. He didn't know where to look, he knew he shouldn't be looking at her sweet, naked body but he couldn't help himself. His tongue fell out of his mouth as he quickly studied her sumptuous breasts, flat stomach and the slight curve of her hips. His eyes caught the two scars she had on her front, but even they weren't imperfections, they made her body look worn and natural. He swallowed once again as he blinked a few times.

"Zo… Zoë, I just heard that you were home and wanted to know that you're well; I heard you were having some difficulties. I know I shouldn't be here but…" Ryan choked as his mouth had dried up just as he looked back up and into her eyes. "I still love you… I love you more than anyone else ever could." His heart rate had shot through the roof as his palms became sweaty. His eyes fixated on her breasts before he felt a sharp intense pain come from his private area. He then realised that he was too keep in his daze to realise that Zoë had kicked him forcefully between his legs. He bit his lip and crouched slightly and swallowed feeling intense pain shooting through his groin. He looked back up at her and saw her standing strong with her set deep frown. He looked her body up and down once again as he couldn't help himself even though he was in agony. He then heard the heavy footsteps of Horatio as he ran down the stairs as he'd heard the front door open. Ryan's heart rate only increased more as his agony disappeared and fear set in.

"Zoë!" Horatio called loudly and sharply when he saw Ryan at the door. Ryan saw the fire in Horatio's eyes when he saw Ryan standing at the door. Horatio's heart rate had hit the sky as his anger threatened to rip through his skin. He quickly stepped back just as Horatio threw a dressing gown over Zoë and glared ferociously at Ryan. "Zoë go and sit down, now please." Horatio said firmly and she looked round to him, innocently and then walked away.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Horatio growled at Ryan as Zoë walked away.

"I needed to know she was okay!" Ryan pleaded as he took another step back and raised his hands in submission.

"Get off this property now or I'll shoot you." Horatio growled lowly and Ryan swallowed and nodded. "If you come back here, I will have you arrested or I will shoot you as you are a threat to her at the moment." Horatio growled again and Ryan quickly backed off. Horatio closed the door forcefully and closed his eyes as he leant against it, he took a few deep breaths to try and compose himself and beat down the burning rage at his very core. He clenched his fists before he felt calm enough to enter the living room.

He then stalked into the living room where Zoë was standing by the coffee table, holding the dressing gown around her. She bit her lip as she furrowed her brow, slightly afraid. "Zoë, you opened the door to Wolfe naked?" Horatio questioned firmly as he placed his hands on his hips and looked at her in all seriousness.

"I didn't know it was him." Zoë pleaded in a whisper as she looked up at him innocently and timidly as she held the gown around her. Horatio exhaled forcefully and then ran his fists through his hair. He hissed in pain when he caught his still healing head wound and pulled his hands from his hair as he shook his head.

"Did you not check who it was?" Horatio questioned and she shook her head as she looked down, pulling the gown tighter as her breaths became shorter and more rapid. "Do not do that again, okay? Do not answer the door to anyone." Horatio said firmly and she moved away from him as she nodded down at the floor. "Don't move away when I'm talking to you please, Zoë." Horatio said clearly as he placed his hands on his hips again.

"You're angry, you're scaring me!" Zoë yelled as she looked up at him, he saw the tears in her eyes that she tried her hardest to push back. '_She's moving away because she's afraid of me?'_ He questioned himself as he stepped forwards, with his facial expression softening slightly but she flinched when he moved forwards. "Don't hit me please." She begged as she moved away just as he dropped his hands from his hips, distraught that she was afraid of him, his heart rate only picked up as he looked at her, wide eyed.

"Zoë, I'm not going to hurt you, sweetheart. I'm extremely sorry if I made you think that." Horatio said warmly as his facial expression softened considerably on her and he reached out to her.

"Don't hurt me please!" She yelled as she backed off and jumped over the sofa and ran upstairs faster than he'd ever seen her move before. His jaw dropped open as he watched her dash out the room.

"I'm not going to hurt you sweetheart, I'd never hurt you." Horatio pleaded as he rushed up after her.

"Don't please!" She cried as she ran up the stairs and down the hall to the main bathroom, hearing his heavy footsteps running up the stairs after her. She ran in and slammed the door shut and then locked it as she felt like he was chasing her to get her, just as her father did. She could never play chase at school because it brought back too many memories, just as the situation had just now. She heard him stop outside the bathroom door, slightly out of breath and she backed off the door.

"Zoë, I'm so sorry if I made you think I was going to hurt you. I would never hurt you beautiful, I'd never lay a finger on you like that Zoë. I'm so sorry sweetheart." Horatio begged her as he leant against the door with his heart beating wildly. She wrapped her arms around herself as tears fell from her eyes, waiting for the door to explode in and for Horatio to charge at her, just as her father did many times. "Zoë, I love you, beautiful. I'd _never_ hurt you, you know that. You know that sweetheart. It's Horatio, it's your Horatio." He said warmly as he leant against the door and tried listening for her as she approached the door again. "Zoë, please. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I promise you that I'd never hurt you." He pleaded as he placed his palms against the wooden door.

"I saw that look in your eyes, my father had that look too!" Zoë cried as she fell against the door and to the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest as she bowed her head, placing her forehead against her knees. Horatio heard her slide down the door to the floor and crouched himself.

"I'm sorry Zoë, I wasn't happy that you answered the door though. I asked you not to. I'm not angry with you at all, I'm angry with Wolfe, but not you. You know I'd never hurt you sweetheart, I never would. Please open the door sweetheart." Horatio begged her as he placed his hand flat against the white wooden door. He could hear her erratic breathing and her quiet sobbing.

"How do I know you're not just saying that? I want to believe you, but I believed him. I believed him every time and he'd always do the same thing to me!" She cried loudly.

"I love you Zoë, I love you so much, I'd rather be put through the most painful physical torture than ever hurt you in anyway. I treasure every moment with you Zoë, I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, I wouldn't hurt you. You are the most precious thing in my life." Horatio said as he put his head back against the door as he rubbed his face as he sat against the door. '_I'm a monster; I've just scared her half to death.'_ He thought as he felt absolutely distraught and almost heartbroken.

"I love you Zoë, I'm sorry, I really am." Horatio said quietly as he rested his head in his hands. '_I can't believe this is happening, she thinks I'd hurt her, she thought I was going to hit her. I should have calmed myself down before talking to her, I should have made sure I was calm.'_ He thought as he shook his head. He heard her moving and pulled his head out of his hands and listened. He heard the flick of the lock and then sat up himself when the door moved from his back. She stood by the door and looked down at him. He could see her hands trembling before she quickly wrapped her arms around herself and looked down at the floor.

"I'm so sorry Zoë." He said as he slowly made his way to his feet. She quickly moved back as she raised her right hand to her mouth and began to play with her lips nervously. He could see that she was terrified and nervous. He knew it took a lot for her to open the door, he knew it required a great deal of trust as well. "I'll never hurt you Zoë, you have my word." Horatio said softly as he looked into her wide eyes and she moved back again. '_She's still seeing me as a threat. How do I show her that I'm not? Perhaps if I make myself smaller, she'll feel more comfortable?'_ Horatio thought to himself and then knelt on one knee and looked up to her.

"Zoë, I will never hurt you, I promise you." Horatio said as he looked up at her and she took another step forwards, feeling a little more comfortable. '_Good, she's moving closer.'_ Horatio thought to himself. "I'm sorry for scaring you Zoë, I didn't mean to." Horatio said softly and quietly and she moved forwards again. He reached out to her with his palm facing up and she slowly brought her trembling hand from her mouth and took hold of his hand as she looked into his calm, inviting eyes. He slowly brought her hand closer to his mouth and kissed the back of her hand as he kept his eyes on hers at all times. She fell to her knees in front of him and wrapped her arms around him. He wrapped his around her and rubbed her back as she placed her head on his shoulder and sobbed quietly for a few minutes. A few minutes later she pulled back and looked down at his chest with tears still falling from her eyes.

He swallowed and then wiped the tears away as he tilted his head to the side and made eye contact with her again as she continued to look down, but moved her eyes to connect with his. "Shall we go and sit on the sofa with some films, pop-corn and lots of cuddles?" Horatio asked tenderly and she nodded as she looked back up at him. "Come on then beautiful." Horatio said softly and they got up. He took a loose hold of her hand and walked down with her while she remained silent, still determining if he was a threat to her or not.

"Do you want to go and sit on the sofa and choose a film while I put the pop-corn in the microwave?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded and then walked away as she hugged the dressing gown close to her body. Horatio walked into the living room with a bowl of pop-corn and a large bar of chocolate and sat down next to Zoë and gently pulled her closer. He placed the bowl in her lap and let her place her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began to stroke her forearm.

"What are we watching then?" Horatio asked softly after he kissed her temple lightly.

"Angels and Demons" she smiled as she moved closer to him, feeling a lot more comfortable.

"That's the Da Vinci one isn't it?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she popped a bit of sweet pop-corn into her mouth.

"It's good." She smiled and Horatio nodded and then kissed her temple again, feeling her relax against him. They quietened down as they watched the film. Zoë quickly finished the chocolate off after offering Horatio some a few times, but he declined. He often took a handful of pop-corn though.

"He's such a bastard." Zoë said when they got to the end and Horatio took the bowl from her lap, fearing that she would throw it everywhere.

"Try and think about your language sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she looked round to him.

"Sorry." She said quietly as she looked down and pulled away from him slightly as she wrapped her arms around herself after removing her hands from his thigh.

"It's okay sweetheart, it's just that I'm not used to hearing you say these sorts of things." Horatio said warmly as he began to run his fingers up and down the back of her neck tenderly. She nodded as she looked back up to the TV and relaxed again, placing a hand back on his thigh. They put another film on straight after as they weren't sure what else they could do. Horatio knew that they couldn't go out as he couldn't get her to dress, so watching a film with her was the only thing he could do. Just as the second film finished there was another knock at the door.

"Wait here sweetheart, don't worry." Horatio said softly as he got up, she watched him walk out and then stood herself. She listened as he opened the door and stepped back as she wrapped her arms around herself. She swallowed when she felt her calf make contact with the coffee table. The feeling of entrapment began to grow in her mind as she felt like she couldn't run.

"Alexx, how are you doing?" Horatio asked softly as he opened the front door after checking who it was.

"Hey honey, I'm good thank you. How about both of you?" She asked softly as she looked up at Horatio with a kind smile, happy to see him happy.

"I'm well, Zoë's okay." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded as she peered in, hoping to see Zoë appear very soon.

"Come in" he said as he stepped from the door to allow her to pass. Alexx entered with a warm smile and then caught the sweet scent of pop-corn that had her mouth-watering. "Just give me a moment please, we'll be right back." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded at him with a gentle expression. He quickly walked into the living room, keeping his walk calm and his expression soft as he could see that Zoë was worried.

He gave her a gentle smile. "I'm just going to do the dressing gown up, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded. "There's no need to worry sweetheart, it's just Alexx." Horatio said warmly as he pulled the gown closed and then tied it. He took her hand with a calm smile and walked out with her.

"Hey baby girl, how are you doing?" Alexx asked softly with a very wide smile and Zoë nodded as she stood by Horatio. She then looked down at the floor as she began to bite her lip as she played with the dressing gown rope, nervously. "Good to be home?" Alexx asked and Zoë nodded again before she moved to stand just behind Horatio as she placed her hands on his back and waist.

"It's okay sweetheart, it's just Alexx." Horatio said softly as he tried to move from in front of her but she moved with him, staying behind Horatio as her hands trembled slightly. Horatio looked back to Alexx with an apologetic expression, he tried to figure out what had got into Zoë, but soon realised it was probably all his fault. '_Nathan said that she needs guidance on how to act around others, I frightened her about opening the door earlier, what if she's thinking that I'll frighten her again if she engages with Alexx? How could I do that to her? I lost it, I know I did.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he lightly furrowed his brow and looked to Alexx again. "Sorry Alexx." Horatio apologised when Zoe took hold of his shirt and pulled him back slightly.

"It's not a problem honey." Alexx said softly and Horatio gave her a nod as he composed himself and stood still once Zoë had stopped pulling. '_Does she see Alexx as a threat? Is that why she's trying to pull me away? Or is she scared that I'll flip for some reason?'_ Horatio thought to himself. Horatio gave Alexx a gentle, yet somewhat confused smile as Alexx studied Zoë's behaviour closely. It was clear she was afraid and very confused. Alexx could see that Zoe didn't entirely recognise her, which was probably distressing her, causing her to act like the way she was. Horatio then picked up on the scent of Alexx's sharp perfume.

"I think it's probably your perfume again, have you changed it?" Horatio asked and Alexx thought about it as she blinked a few times. She then pressed her lips together when she realised she had changed it. '_I didn't even think about that, this is my fault. She's becoming distressed because of me.'_ Alexx thought to herself. '_I had to choose this perfume out of them all as well… the sharpest, strongest one. She's probably thinking I'm a major threat to her and Horatio.'_ Alexx thought to herself.

"I think perhaps I have, I've got so many, I don't know which one Zoë's used to." She said softly as she tilted her head as Horatio subtly moved slightly so Alexx could see half of Zoë.

"Zoë, do you know who I am baby girl?" Alexx asked softly and she nodded as she took a deep breath and took hold of Horatio's hand.

"Alexx Woods." She whispered and Alexx nodded with a caring smile.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Zoë. I'm your friend." Alexx said tenderly but Zoe just exhaled and moved behind Horatio more as she pressed her face against Horatio's shoulder blade.

"Sorry Alexx." Horatio said softly as he looked up at her from the white tiles on the floor.

"Don't worry about it, it's my fault, I didn't think. I'll come back another time. Give me a ring if you need anything Horatio." She said softly and Horatio nodded.

"Thank you Alexx." Horatio said softly and Alexx gave him a smile.

"See you later Zoë." She said softly as she moved to the side to get a look at Zoë.

"Bye" Zoë said softly as she moved back to the side a little to see Alexx while she kept a hold of Horatio's shirt.

"Take care." Alexx said softly as she looked back up to Horatio and Horatio nodded with a gentle smile. Horatio moved to try and show Alexx out but Zoë had frozen to the spot and held Horatio there with her. Alexx saw Zoë's grip tighten on his shirt and then quickly left after realising that Horatio couldn't move because Zoë didn't allow him. '_Poor girl, I wish there was something I could do. I guess all I can do is make sure that Horatio's okay and coping with it all.'_ Alexx thought to herself as she walked down the path to her car.

Zoë's grip slowly loosened on Horatio's shirt, allowing him to turn to her with a gentle expression. "I don't know what's wrong with me, I know that was Alexx, but I felt like I didn't know her. She was going to hurt us." Zoë said as he embraced her in a hug and rubbed her back.

"It's okay Zoë, she was wearing different perfume, you know that can sometimes throw you. She wasn't going to hurt us, Alexx wouldn't ever hurt us." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she swallowed. Her hands found the back of his trousers and then snaked their way into them. Horatio took a deep breath but didn't pull her hands from his trousers as he could feel that she wasn't being naughty, she just did it out of comfort as she placed her hands flat against his bum between his boxers and trousers while she listened to the beating of his heart.

"But when Kaitlin changes perfume it's okay." She said as she looked up to Horatio, placing her chin on his chest.

"You've known Kaitlin a very long time though, and throughout the years, she's probably changed perfumes many times. You've not known Alexx as long and she usually sticks with the same perfume at work. She usually also wears a softer, sweeter perfume. You also don't usually see Kaitlin when you're unwell either. Don't worry about it sweetheart, it's nothing to worry or get upset about. She understands, she knows that changing her perfume can sometimes have this effect." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded at him before she put her ear back to his chest. Horatio closed his eyes and placed his lips and nose against the top of her head as he rubbed her back and rocked her slightly, feeling her relax as they both rocked on the spot.

"How about some dinner?" Horatio asked after a few minutes and she nodded as she pulled her hands out of his trousers and placed them on his sides as he moved his hands to her upper arms.

"How about salmon?" He asked with a smile and Zoë shook her head as she pulled a face at him.

"I don't like fish. You know that." She said as she looked up at him with a frown developing.

"You love salmon." Horatio said softly with a mild frown himself as he tilted his head.

"Do I?" She asked and Horatio nodded.

"The thought of it is making my stomach go." She said as she looked up at him confused, she believed him, but also believed that she didn't like fish at all.

"Okay sweetheart, how about some pork chops then?" Horatio asked and she nodded as her frown turned into a smile.

"Sounds good." She smiled brightly and Horatio gave her a quick kiss on the lips with a smile himself, feeling much better in himself now she was standing in front of him and smiling.

They pulled away from each other as Horatio walked over to the kitchen side and picked up a few knives and then got the vegetables out of the fridge. "Can I help?" She asked softly as she strolled over to him and placed her hands on his back.

"Why don't you relax sweetheart? I can do dinner." He said softly as he glanced back to her.

"I want to help" she said a little more firmly as she stepped back from him. He nodded as he exhaled.

"Okay sweetheart, can you get the chops out of the freezer and put them in the microwave to defrost?" Horatio asked and she nodded and did as she was told while Horatio prepared other things.

"What can I do now?" She asked as she walked over to Horatio while the microwave whirled around.

"Everything's being done sweetheart, you can rest, there's nothing else to do." Horatio said softly as he glanced back to her and put the sharp knife away in the dishwasher as he was finished with it.

"I can help cut the vegetables?" She asked as she stepped forwards as Horatio picked another knife up.

"Be careful. I've nearly done that now sweetheart, but thank you." Horatio said softly and she nodded as he turned and put the knife in the dishwasher again. "Go and get some rest, dinner will be done soon." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then walked out as she fiddled with the rope of the dressing gown. Horatio cooked the dinner and then walked through to the living room once it was all dished up.

"Where would you like to eat?" He asked softly while he walked through to the living room.

"Kitchen please." She smiled as she got up and walked out with him.

"It looks gorgeous, thank you Horatio." Zoë said softly as she sat down beside him with a steaming plate of vegetables, potato's and 2 large lamb pork chops. They ate and managed to keep the conversation pleasant. They tidied up after and then sat down to relax when Zoë got a text.

"Joe would like a coffee, is it okay of they come round?" Zoë asked.

"It's not a problem, as long as you put something to wear on." Horatio said softly and she exhaled and then nodded. "Then it's okay for them to come over." Horatio said softly as he gently rubbed her upper arm.

"Thank you." She said softly and he then gave her a smile as she began to text back. Horatio kept an eye on the text to make sure she wasn't saying anything inappropriate or mentioning that she was currently naked in a dressing gown.

"Come on, let's get you dressed." Horatio said as he got up once she was finished texting. He then gently pulled her up gently when she reached out to him with a playful smile. She followed him upstairs and stood in the middle of their bedroom as Horatio walked over to her underwear draw.

"What would you rather wear?" He asked warmly as he opened the draw and looked at the variety of colour that hit him in the face. He then turned around when he didn't get an answer and placed a hand on his hip as he tilted his head at her.

"Your shirt" she said quietly before she began to bite her lip.

"I've worn my shirt all day sweetheart, how about a clean one? One of my clean shirts?" Horatio asked and she shook her head as she looked down and folded her arms across her chest. Horatio exhaled and then had an idea. '_What if I put a clean shirt on briefly? Will she wear it then?'_ He thought to himself as he perked up and then quickly unbuttoned his shirt and placed it on the bed.

"Don't touch the shirt, Zoë." Horatio said softly and then walked into the wardrobe and put on another shirt and walked out with a hopeful smile on his face. '_Please wear the shirt.'_ He thought to himself. "Do you want this shirt?" He asked and she nodded as she reached out for it and moved closer to him. "Here you go." He said as he took it back off and then handed it to her with a smug smile. She put it on after she pulled the gown off and he then held out some of her underwear.

"No" she said as she pushed his hand away.

"Do you want mine?" Horatio asked and she nodded. '_What if I briefly wear her clothes? That might work.'_ He thought to himself as he handed her a pair of his boxers and then pulled a pair of her jogging bottoms from a draw and pulled them up over his trousers. '_If anyone ever saw this, I'd be the most embarrassed I have been in my life. They don't even fit me one bit! How is she so small?' _Horatio asked himself as he glanced at himself in the mirror and saw the small jogging bottoms hugging his legs tightly.

"Do you want to wear these jogging bottoms?" Horatio asked and she nodded, she watched him pull them off and reached out to them once he had them off. '_Yes, I think I've finally got round her.'_ Horatio said as he handed her the jogging bottoms. She pulled them up and he tied them and then put his shirt back on.

"See, wearing clothes isn't too bad." Horatio said softly but she remained silent as he did his shirt buttons up after slipping it on. She then quickly headed out when she heard a knock at the door.

"Check it's Joe before you answer." Horatio said as he rushed to do his buttons up and then tucked his shirt in quickly. He walked down after her as she checked it was Joe and then let them in with a wide smile. She gave both Joe and Kaitlin a hug and Horatio shook their hands after making sure the shirt was properly done up on Zoë's shirt, which they were. They walked through to the kitchen and Horatio put the kettle on and made all a coffee. They had a pleasant conversation and managed to steer clear of anything that could set Zoë off. Horatio gave Joe a few silent warnings before he said a few things so she didn't get upset.

"We should be off now darling, we'll see you tomorrow if you're up for it though." Joe said as they stood and Zoë gave him and nod and walked through to the hall with them and then hugged both Kaitlin and Joe.

"See you tomorrow gorgeous, James also sends his love." Kaitlin said softly.

"See you tomorrow, sent him some back." She said softly and Horatio then shook their hands and was taken by surprise again when Kaitlin kissed his cheek. '_Does she kiss everyone's cheek, or is it because I'm Zoë's fiancé? Or is it simply because I tried to keep Zoë safer when we crashed?'_ Horatio thought to himself as he watched them leave as Zoë placed a hand on his lower back. Zoë stifled a yawn as she closed the door and then turned around to walk through to the living room with Horatio following where she yawned again.

"Shall we have an early night tonight?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she sat down and relaxed her head back on the sofa as Horatio sat next to her in the corner of the sofa. She then moved to sit between his legs and put her head back against his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her stomach and then felt her place her hands over his as she looked up to the TV with tired eyes.

"Do you want a bath soon?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she began to run her fingers over Horatio's knuckles. "Want company in the bath?" He asked and she shrugged as she began to play with her lips, rolling them against each other. "Is that a yes, or a no?" Horatio asked softly as he began to sweep his fingers across her abdomen, feeling the cotton of the shirt beneath his fingers and where her belly button was.

"If you want, I don't mind." She said softly and Horatio nodded and then kissed the top of her head. He closed his eyes and rested his lips and nose against her hair, taking in the fresh fragrance as he slowly moved his hands to her thighs. He could feel something building up within him and he started to slowly rub her thighs. He felt his heart push the blood around his body, sending it to a specific organ that awakened and began to throb in his boxers.

"Hmm" he hummed quietly to himself as he moved one of his hands to her inner thigh and up to her sex. He then pulled her shirt up lightly and swept his fingers across the skin above the waistband of her joggers. She glanced back and gave him a sweet smile as he brought his head in closer to hers to give her a gentle kiss. She then returned it by placing a few loving kisses on his lips. Just as he began to deepen the kiss she stopped and turned back to the TV and sat forwards, giving it her complete attention when the program she was watching came back on. Horatio sighed and then sat forwards himself. He moved both hands to her inner thighs and placed his lips against her ear.

"How about we go up now?" Horatio whispered seductively.

"In a bit." She murmured quietly, concentrating on the TV. She slowly sat back, causing him to sit back. "Can you move your belt please? I think it's digging into my back." She said softly as she placed her hand on his knee.

"That's not by belt, sweetheart." Horatio whispered alluringly.

"Oh, okay. Well, whatever it is, can you please move it?" She asked softly, completely unaware of what he really meant. He sighed as he began to rub her thighs again while he began to kiss her neck, feeling his desire burn hot. '_Perhaps now she'll pick up on what I meant.'_ He thought to himself as he smiled while he mouthed delicately at her neck. He stopped a few moments later when he didn't get any response from her and realised that she was falling asleep. '_That had the opposite effect… Nathan did say that she might not understand when I want intimacy, perhaps this is that?'_ He thought to himself. He exhaled as he moved both of his hands up to her stomach and placed them flat against her stomach, feeling her breathing settle out more as she began to fall into a deeper sleep.

"Come on, bath and then bed." Horatio said as he gently woke her fully. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look up at Horatio with tired, half-open eyes. "Bath and then bed, sweetheart." Horatio said warmly before he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Mmm okay." She moaned and then sat up as Horatio flicked the TV off, sitting up himself. They both slowly rose to their feet, both hearing the bed call for them. Horatio felt a lot less excited as her tiredness seemed to transfer into himself. She walked out with him following and then into the main bathroom. She ran the taps as Horatio collected them two towels and then closed the door after himself.

"Can I have the bath to myself please?" She asked softly as she poured a load of pink bubble bath into the clear water and watched it mix with the water, creating bubbles.

Horatio walked over to her as she stood up straight and turned to him to hear his answer. "Of course beautiful, I'll be having a shower in here too though, is that okay?" Horatio asked as he placed his hand on her cheek with a warm smile. She took hold of his wrist and then nodded with a smile, feeling the rougher skin on the palm of his hand move against her soft cheek, creating a smile on her face. They quickly washed once in their bath and shower while Horatio kept a very close eye on Zoë when she laid back in the bath and closed her eyes.

"I want to go back to that dream." She sighed with her eyes closed. Horatio quickly turned the shower off and got out as she began to slip down further into the bath, intentionally.

"We can't though Zoë." Horatio said softly as he wrapped the towel around his waist quickly and then walked over to the bath.

"Why? Why can't we just go back to that world? The world where everything was perfect, where we had two beautiful little girls." She said as she looked up at him, then felt his hands on each side of her rib cage as he pulled her back up, fearing she was going to try and drown herself.

"I know sweetheart, I've thought about that too. I sometimes wish that we never woke up so we could continue to share that dream, but that wasn't reality, that wasn't real. Now we're alive and well, we can make that dream come reality, we can have our family, we can marry. We can do all of that in the real world." Horatio said warmly as he wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She swallowed feeling a lump in her throat and then nodded.

"Why did we have to wake up?" She asked him and he took a deep breath.

"Because our little angel up in heaven wants to have a little brother or sister at some point." Horatio replied as he studied a few more tears falling from the corners of her eyes. As well as making the lump in her throat bigger, he managed to put a lump in his throat himself.

"You're right, she wants to see us happy, she wants us to give her a younger brother or sister to look over." Zoë said softly after she took a deep breath, composing herself.

"That's right, so we've got to get through this, we've got to take those memories from that dream and we've got to turn them into reality. Perhaps this time we'll have a son, too." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as she looked up at him, still sat in the bath. "Come on then." He said softly as he outstretched his hand, allowing her to take it and helped her out of the bath. They gave each other a gentle smile as they walked through to the bedroom wrapped in their large fluffy towels. Zoë wore another pair of Horatio's boxers once she was dry as he pulled up a pair of night pants. She climbed into bed after tying her hair up, but she laid on her side of the bed instead of snuggling up to Horatio. Horatio swallowed and looked over to her. '_The last time she wanted to sleep away from me was when we lost Maya, I hope I've not re-awakened some of those emotions and upset her.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Is everything okay sweetheart, anything you want to talk about?" Horatio asked as he rolled onto his side, he wanted to reach out to her to touch her, but refrained from doing so.

"I'm good" she said quietly as she continued to look up at the ceiling.

"May I move closer to you?" Horatio asked softly, unsure if she was feeling vulnerable and insecure. She turned her head to look at him as a gentle smile appeared across her face as she reached out and pushed her fingers through his fringe, gently.

"Of course, you don't need to ask handsome." She said softly and he gave her a smile and then moved closer to her. He put an arm over her stomach and put his head on her pillow as she placed her arm over his, continuing to lay on her back. She closed her eyes and felt his fingers trace one of her ribs. He watched her take a deep breath and watched the look of concentration fleet across her face. He knew she was thinking.

"Are you aroused?" She asked out of the blue and Horatio nodded with his nose and lips against her shoulder. '_Is it that that is confusing her?'_ He thought to himself.

"I can't help it, you're naked in bed with me." Horatio said softly as he kissed her shoulder and she felt him hard against her hip. She opened her eyes as she felt his breath move across her shoulder and felt his hips move slightly.

"Do you want sex?" She asked as she looked over to him with a gentle expression.

"Just because I'm aroused doesn't mean we have to have sex, Zoë." Horatio said softly. She blinked a few times as she thought about his answer. He could see that he'd confused her slightly.

"That's not what I'm asking though. If you want sex then we can have sex." Zoë said softly as she turned her head more as he moved his head higher to make it level with hers as he look into her gentle, tired eyes. He felt her hand lightly moving up and down on his forearm, her fingertips exploring every inch of his skin as she awaited his answer with an innocent expression.

"I'm good sweetheart, I don't need sex, I just want to lay here with you." Horatio said as he could see that she didn't really want it. But she just looked at him confused again. She blinked more again, as her eyes moved around his face, studying his glistening bright blue eyes, his perfect, cute nose and the lips that use such passion.

"Are you sure?" She asked and he nodded with a gentle expression. "Okay. Night handsome" she said softly as she leant closer to him.

"Goodnight beautiful, sweet dreams." He said softly as he leaned closer to her and shared a loving kiss with her. They quickly fell asleep in each other's arms. Horatio woke the next morning in virtually the same position he'd fallen asleep in. He took a deep breath and knew that Zoë was close as her fragrance filled his nostrils. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times before his eyes widened and he swallowed.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

He saw Zoë's breasts inches from his face and he immediately came alive in his night pants. He swallowed and felt his mouth dry, he'd seen her breasts many times before, but they still had the same hold over him as they did the first time he saw them. He looked up at Zoë who was sleeping in an awkward position; she had one of her legs over his stomach, her chest by his head and her back bent backwards so her face was parallel to the headboard. '_That can't be comfortable._' He thought to himself as he gently moved her leg and then got up to go to the loo and calm himself down. He stood in the bathroom for a moment, looking at himself in the mirror. '_I can definitely tell that it's been sometime since we last made love.'_ He thought to himself as he studied the lines on his forehead, his eyes then dropped to study his tired face. '_What exactly does she see in you?'_ He questioned himself as he took a deep breath. He walked back into the bedroom just as Zoë was waking. She slowly sat up and moaned as she rubbed her face and eyes.

"Morning beautiful" Horatio greeted warmly as he walked around to her and sat down beside her on the edge of the bed as she kicked the duvet from her. He placed his hand on her bare thigh and smiled up at her, feeling her warm skin heat his palm.

"Morning handsome" she moaned as she laid back down and let out another moan as she placed her right hand over her forehead. Horatio immediately grew concerned as a frown developed. He watched her lightly rub her forehead where her fracture was and saw that it was slightly red.

"Are you okay sweetheart? Are you in pain?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded as she rubbed the right side of her forehead more and focused on a specific spot. She closed her eyes and felt him remove his hand from her thigh and place it on her shoulder as he moved up the bed and leant over her as he pulled her hand from her forehead.

"Where?" Horatio asked as he looked from her eyes to the red patch on her forehead.

"My head and back." She said quietly as she looked up at him and placed her hand on his chest to lightly push him away as he was invading her space too much for so early in the morning. That and she didn't want him looking at her forehead in case it had swollen as she could feel it throbbing.

"How bad is your head?" Horatio asked softly as he sat back a little when he felt the sharp pain rivet through his chest when she pressed on it, causing him to quickly withdraw. She dropped her arm to his thigh, innocently placing her hand on his crotch. He fought with the desire that was building once again as he waited for her reply.

"Not too bad, I think I may have just hit it a little. It just feels like a bruise. My back is worse." She said as she looked up at him and he nodded with a gentle smile as he placed his hand on her stomach, he then began to circle her belly button with his thumb without realising it.

"Do you want to go and see Nathan about your head?" Horatio asked and she shook her head as a smile appeared across her face, what he was doing was tickling her a little.

"No, I'm good." She said softly and Horatio nodded again and then looked down to his hand and realising he was tickling her to cause her smile. He stopped what he was doing and placed his hand flat against her stomach and studied the loose waist band of his boxers on her.

"Turn over sweetheart, I'll give you a back massage, you were sleeping in a weird position." Horatio said softly and she flipped herself over, happy to hear the words back massage. He moved closer to her and then began to massage her back. He listened to her let out some content moans and then stopped 10 minutes later when she was very nearly asleep again.

"Better?" Horatio asked as he sat back and watched her flip herself back over to smile back up at him with a dreamy grin.

"Much, thank you Horatio." She said softly and he gave her a smile. She then sat up and placed a kiss on his lips. She then backed off and smiled up at him warmly. "I'm going for a shower, are you joining?" She asked and Horatio smiled boyishly with a nod. She got up with him and strolled into the en-suite. Once they were out, Horatio managed to get her to wear a pair of his boxers, but that was all he managed to get her to wear.

"Breakfast?" He asked and she nodded as she tied her hair up in a messy bun.

"Let me go and get Emm first, can you take Olive down?" She asked softly as she turned to him and placed her hands on her hips.

"It's just us eating breakfast sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she tilted her head at him as she saw his eyes sadden slightly. "They were in the dream, not real life." Horatio exhaled as he glanced to the carpeted floor before looking back up at her. He watched the happiness die in her eyes again and he felt awful for causing that. He swallowed as she ran a hand through her hair and nodded.

"I'm so sorry, I keep forgetting." She sighed as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling his cotton t-shirt against her cheek as she nuzzled his sternum lightly.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart, let's go and get breakfast." Horatio said softly, she nodded and then stepped back. He walked out with her and rubbed her bare back, hoping to make her feel better about it. "What would you like?" Horatio asked softly as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Horatio listened to Zoë's bare feet pat across the tiled floor as they walked over to the kitchen.

"I think I'm going to have some toast this morning." She said as she picked up the bag of bread. "Would you like some toast to?" She asked softly.

"Please, two slices." Horatio said softly and she nodded at him as he made them both a coffee while he also collected a packet of tablets and placed them on the counter. They sat down and ate their breakfast, Horatio managed to get her to take the painkillers without too much fuss. They cleared up and sat back down to finish their coffees.

"What can we do today?" Zoë questioned as she began to fidget again.

"Whatever you want." Horatio said softly as he took hold of her mug and pulled it away from her subtly as her fidgeting worsened to the point of her stool moving.

"Well, I'd like to go back to work or go on holiday, I'm not sure you'll be so open to those though." She said excitedly as she looked up at him and began to play with her fingers rapidly.

"Try and sit still on the stool Zoë, you'll fall and hurt yourself." Horatio said softly when she pushed off against the counter to lean back on the stall. Horatio grabbed the seat of the stall and set it back firmly on the ground and looked at her firmly, she quickly stopped fidgeting. She put her hands flat against the cool counter but Horatio could see that it was a difficult task for her to sit still. '_I shouldn't have let her have that coffee, perhaps I should keep her off coffee for a few days?'_ He thought to himself. "Neither of those ideas are particularly good ideas for the time being. But we can go for a walk, we can go shopping, we can go and visit Eric and Alexx… all provided that you wear something." Horatio said softly and she quickly nodded as she stood up and leant on the counter.

"Can we go and see Eric and then go for a walk?" She asked and Horatio nodded with a smile.

"Let's get dressed first?" Horatio asked and she nodded and then walked out at a fast pace. Horatio quickly picked up her plate and mug when she forgot about them and placed them in the dishwasher along with his items. He walked up after her and quickly entered the bedroom to see her sprawled across the bed.

"Zoë, could you please stand up for me, you can't dress if you're laying down." Horatio asked warmly, feeling himself stir in his trousers again. Just looking at her body on the Egyptian cotton sheets had his loins going crazy. The texture of the cotton with her smooth skin is something he never wanted to lose. "Can you wear some of your clothes instead of mine?" Horatio asked and she shrugged as she stood up and stood beside the bed. He saw her studying him and knew she wanted his clothes immediately. '_I do not want her to walk into the lab wearing my clothes, she'll ruin the bottom of my trousers as well as they drag across the floor.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he opened her draw and picked up one of her bras.

"How about a bra?" Horatio questioned tenderly as he turned to her, holding the light blue bra and matching pants and she shook her head as she folded her arms tightly across her chest. He sighed softly and then put them back in the draw. He then turned back to her with a gentle expression, trying to keep himself calm. '_I doubt we'll even be going out, she won't wear anything, will she?'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Okay, how about some jeans, a loose top and a cardigan?" Horatio asked softly and she shrugged again as she looked down to his feet. "Light blue skinny jeans?" Horatio asked and she shrugged as she started to pace on the spot again as she screwed her face up into a mean scowl. She focused on his black socks as she took a deep breath.

"Okay calm down sweetheart, you don't have to wear them." Horatio said softly and she glanced up at him and took a deep breath before looking back down with a softer facial expression. He pulled a pair of her skinny jeans from a draw and held them out to her. "Can you wear them?" Horatio asked warmly and she shook her head and pointed at his trousers. "At least look at them, please Zoë." Horatio pleaded and she glanced up and then shook her head again before she looked down to the carpet in front of her feet.

"Mmm" she moaned as she pointed to his trousers without even looking up at him.

"I need to wear these sweetheart." Horatio said softly. '_I'd try and put these on, but one of my legs wouldn't even fit through both legs put together. I suppose it's worth a go though, even if I get them on one leg and half-way up, she might just wear them." _Horatio thought to himself as he walked over to the sat down and began to pull the jeans onto one of his legs and she tilted her head at him as she looked at him confused. He glanced up at her and saw her watching him before he looked back down at the jeans and took a tight hold of them. He tried his best to pull them up over his large, strong calf muscle. '_Wow, my calves aren't even going further than the thigh part of her jeans, certainly won't get the knee up to my calf… I never realised how small she is in comparison to me!'_ Horatio thought to himself as he felt the jeans squeezing his leg. '_I'm sure this is cutting off my blood supply.'_ He thought as he tried one last time to pull them up. He glanced up at her as she let out one quiet giggle.

"You think this is funny?" Horatio asked with a playful grin appearing.

"Yeah" she said quietly as she looked back down to his legs. She bit her lip and he could see that she wanted the jeans. He looked back down at them. '_I've just tried to put on Zoë's jeans. If anyone from work ever saw that, I'd never live it down.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Do you want to wear the jeans now?" He asked as he looked up at her once he'd given up trying to pull them up.

"Yeah" she said as she moved closer as he began to pull them back off his leg but they resisted, gripping to his leg like a finger-trap. '_Getting them off is worse than getting them on!'_ Horatio thought to himself as he pulled hard and then finally felt them give in and snap off his leg quickly. He handed them to her and watched her pull them up with ease and frowned lightly. He then looked over to the underwear draw again. '_Will she wear a bra if I pretend to put it on? Can I even do that? That's too weird…'_ Horatio thought to himself, he managed to freak himself out slightly. '_If she wears a loose top, no-one will even notice.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a top and a cardigan. He pulled the loose top over his shirt and then looked to Zoë as he raised his eyebrows, hoping she'd want the top.

"Would you like to wear this top?" Horatio asked as he pointed to the now tight top on him and she nodded and reached out for it as he began to take it back off. He handed it to her and he noticed how loose it was on her compared to how tight it was on him.

"I didn't realise you were so small, Zoë." Horatio chuckled as he pulled the cardigan on. '_At least I'm not wearing her clothes all at once, I'm sure she'd snap a photo and then show it around…'_ Horatio thought to himself as she tilted her head and then reached out for the cardigan. He quickly handed it to her and she pulled it on. '_That was easier than I expected.'_ He thought to himself, happy to finally see Zoë in her own clothes.

"What shoes do you want to wear?" Horatio asked softly as he sorted his clothing out and tucked his shirt back into his trousers

"UGGs" she said quietly.

"In this weather?" Horatio asked and she nodded.

"Okay sweetheart, socks first though." Horatio said as he handed her a pair of pink socks. She turned away from him just as he held them out for her. He sighed and then sat down on the bed again to pull them on. He then pulled them off and handed them to her and she happily put them on. '_I'd like to know what is going through her head right now.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he watched her stand with a bright smile.

"Come on then sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she walked out. He picked up her phone and put it in his pocket when she forgot about it.

"Zoë, do you mind if I use your phone to let Eric know we're going over?" Horatio asked as they walked down the stairs.

"Of course not" she said as she got to the bottom of the stairs. '_I'll phone him after I manage to get the UGGs on her.'_ Horatio thought to himself then watched her pull them on. '_She put them on without me wearing them, I can't complain I guess.' _Horatio thought to himself. They then walked out as Horatio phoned Eric to quickly tell him that he and Zoë were visiting. He made sure Zoë had her seatbelt on. '_What if she panics again? I don't have Joe to stop her from pulling the wheel.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he felt something dark grow in his stomach as his heartbeat picked up speed as he mildly worried about it.

"Try not to panic okay sweetheart, we're not going to crash." Horatio said softly and she nodded with a bright smile as she pulled her sunglasses on, looking calm and collected as she relaxed back into the seat.

"I'm sorry about that Horatio." She said softly and he nodded and then reversed off the drive and began to drive over to the lab. He placed his hand over her thigh to make sure she was staying calm and glanced over to her a few times. '_She is remarkably calm, perhaps it was just a once off thing.'_ He thought to himself as they arrived at the lab and both walked in together, hand in hand. Eric quickly walked over to them when he saw them exit the lift.

"H, Zoë, how are you both doing?" He asked warmly as he stopped in front of them.

"Good thank you." Horatio said softly and Zoë moved from Horatio to hug Eric. She gave him a radiant smile as she backed off and took hold of Horatio's hand again. Eric glanced to Horatio, hoping he didn't have a problem with Zoë hugging him as he knew Horatio was very protective of her when it came to other males. He knew Horatio was the 'alpha dog' who didn't like it when people were too close with Zoë because she was unaware of when they become too close to her. But he could see that Horatio was very comfortable with Zoë hugging him so warmly, he could even see the secret smile on Horatio's face while he glanced to Zoë.

"What brings you both here? You're not working, are you H?" Eric questioned softly as he put the file under his arm and placed his other hand on his hip.

"No, Zoë wanted to get out of the house and come and see you, I wanted an update on the case." Horatio said softly and Eric nodded as he glanced to Zoë with a gentle smile.

"Sure, I'm working on it right now, do you both want to come and see what I've got?" He asked and Horatio nodded while Zoë looked around.

"Alright sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly as he ran his thumb over her knuckles and she nodded as she looked back to him. Walter walked over and he noticed that Zoë quickly moved back into the safety of Horatio's arms, pretty much standing on him.

"Hey H, Zoë, how's it going?" Walter asked softly and Zoë pulled Horatio's arm around her and held onto his hand. Walter took a step back when he saw Zoë's behaviour change rapidly from when he glanced at them from the lab to when he was stood in front of them.

"We're good thank you Walter, just nipping by." Horatio said softly and Walter nodded with a gentle smile as his eyes darted from Horatio to Zoë and back.

"Alexx is in autopsy if you want to see her." Walter said softly as he looked back to Horatio.

"Thank you, we will go down soon." Horatio said softly.

"Okay well see you guys later then, if you need anything give me a ring." He said softly as he took another step back once he'd noticed Zoë was uncomfortable and Horatio nodded at him. Once he'd left, they followed Eric into the lab and he talked them both through what they had found and what was going on.

"Once I'm back I will be going to speak with LeBrock, will you leave the interrogation to me?" Horatio questioned and Eric nodded. "Thank you Eric, it looks like you're doing a good job. We're going to go and see Alexx briefly and then we'll be back up." Horatio said softly as he rubbed Zoë's back and she gave them both a natural smile.

"Okay, see you both soon." Eric said softly and they then turned away. Zoë clung to Horatio as they walked down to autopsy. Horatio could feel her anxiety, she was making him anxious himself.

They entered the autopsy room and saw Alexx look up to them. Horatio smiled softly when he saw Alexx's surprised expression. "Horatio, Zoë, it's good to see you both." Alexx smiled as she turned the water off as she was just washing one of the tables down. "How are you both doing?" Alexx asked as she gave them both a warm smile and snapped her gloves off, dropping them to the shiny table.

"We're doing better, aren't we?" Horatio asked as he looked over to Zoë and she nodded at him silently. '_I have got the usual perfume on, she should recognise me.'_ Alexx thought to herself as her eyes rested gently on Zoë.

"You're looking good baby girl." Alexx smiled warmly at her as she placed a hand on her hip.

"Thank you, you are too." She said quietly and Alexx chuckled lightly. She saw Zoë relax a little as she chuckled.

"I think I'll look a lot better once I've changed, but thank you Zoë." She smiled sweetly. "What brings you two here?" Alexx asked softly as she looked back up to Horatio, sensing that she wouldn't get much of an answer from Zoë.

"Zoë wanted to get out of the house and I wanted to check up on the case." Horatio said softly and Alexx nodded.

"Found anything?" She asked curiously.

"Eric's doing a good job." Horatio said and she nodded. '_That means there isn't much to go on.'_ Alexx thought to herself. Both Alexx and Horatio had noticed that Zoë was looking around before her eyes came to a halt beside Alexx. Alexx felt a shiver shoot up her spine, but continued to smile gently while Zoë's breathing became slightly more rapid.

Zoë pulled at Horatio's sleeve and moved closer to him once more. "I don't like it." She whispered as she looked up at Horatio with a grave expression.

"Don't like what beautiful?" Horatio asked quietly as he rubbed her back, hoping to calm her as he could feel her hand beginning to tremble in his.

"Here" she said as she glanced around again.

"Okay, we're leaving anyway sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he moved his hand from her back and into her hair as he smiled down at her, hoping his smile would keep her calm. He then looked back up to Alexx as she studied Zoë closely once more. "It's good to see you Alexx, keep up the good work." Horatio said softly and she gave him a smile as she looked back to Horatio.

She looked back to Zoë when she became a little more distressed. "Hope you two have a lovely day, take care of yourselves." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded with a soft smile. "See you later baby girl." Alexx said softly as she moved closer to Zoë to place a hand on her arm. She wanted to test Zoë's reaction to bodily contact with someone who wasn't Horatio.

Zoë quickly moved back as her jaw tensed. "Mmm" she murmured loudly as she turned around and buried her head into Horatio's shirt and chest. She put her arms around his waist tightly and breathed heavily into his shirt.

"I'm sorry Alexx, I don't think she likes the room." Horatio said softly as he wrapped his arms around her and gently soothed her back.

"How about we step outside?" Alexx asked and Horatio nodded as he rubbed Zoë's back more. Alexx quickly walked out with them and Zoë seemed to relax a little more as soon as they got out of the autopsy room and once the doors were closed.

"I'm sorry Zoë, I should have thought about it before taking you in there." Horatio apologised softly. She exhaled and then took hold of his hand as she stood by his side and faced him with her lips pressed into a hard line.

"How are you really feeling, Zoë?" Alexx asked softly, Zoë glanced to her for a second before looking up at Horatio.

"You don't need my permission to speak beautiful, you can talk to Alexx. Would you like some privacy?" Horatio questioned softly and she shook her head as she moved closer to him, taking a tighter hold of his arm and hand.

"You can talk to me Zoë, I'm not going to bite." Alexx said softly as she slowly moved a little closer and Zoë exhaled and looked up at Alexx. Zoë blinked a few times as she swallowed and looked Alexx up and down. Alexx could see Zoë weighing her up. '_I hope she does talk to me, she needs to talk to someone, something is quite wrong and I don't think Horatio has really realised it yet.'_ Alexx thought to herself. She saw Zoë relax slightly as she loosened her tight grip on Horatio's hand, she saw that Zoe was going to open up to her.

"I just feel a bit mixed up and foggy, it felt really weird in there. I don't know." Zoë said as she shrugged and looked down. Alexx's facial expression softened further as she looked at a very timid Zoë. She could see the fear in Zoë's eyes as they quickly scanned the area before fixing back on her.

"That's perfectly normal baby girl, I understand. What are you afraid of Zoë?" Alexx asked softly as Horatio looked down to Zoë, he began to finally notice her pure fear.

"I don't know." She whispered as she moved closer to Horatio again and sent her eyes down to the floor.

"Come and sit down Zoë, I think we need a little talk." Alexx said softly and Zoë nodded and then walked over to a few seats with Horatio. She refused to sit on a seat on her own but would sit on Horatio. He placed his right hand in her lap as she took a hold of his hand with both of hers. She looked down at her hands taking hold of Horatio's hand as his left lightly rubbed her lower back. '_Perhaps a talk with Alexx will do her good.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Are you afraid that I'm going to hurt you?" Alexx asked softly and Zoë shrugged as she bit her lip.

"I think that's a yes." Horatio said softly as he glanced to Alexx. He then looked back to Zoë and moved to sit up straight while he tilted his head to the side to catch her eyes with his. "Alexx isn't going to hurt you sweetheart, you can trust Alexx." Horatio said warmly and confidently.

"Is it just me that you're scared of?" Alexx asked and Zoë shook her head as she let go of Horatio's hand and wrapped her arms around herself as she continued to look at the floor. "Who else are you scared of?" Alexx asked softly and Zoë glanced up at her before sending her eyes towards the floor once more.

"Everyone" she replied with a whisper as she took hold of Horatio's hand again.

"Are you scared of Horatio?" Alexx asked and Zoë looked up at Alexx and shook her head.

"I was, but now I'm not." She said quietly. '_Please don't admit that I scared her when Wolfe showed up, Nathan will have her back in a flash._' Horatio thought to himself, worried.

"Are you scared of Eric?" Alexx asked and Zoë shook her head again.

"How about Walter?" She questioned and Zoë shrugged.

"What about Nathan?" Alexx asked and she shook her head again as she held eye contact with Alexx.

"Okay baby, I think you're just having some trust issues right now. It's nothing to worry about, you'll feel better once you're less confused." Alexx said softly and Zoë looked up at her.

"What about him?" Zoë questioned as she looked back to the autopsy doors as her hands tightened around Horatio's.

"What about who?" Alexx asked warmly as she tilted her head, she saw the fear multiply in Zoë's eyes once more.

"My-my father." She said as she looked back to Alexx.

"Baby, it's my understanding that your father is dead, he's no longer around." Alexx said softly and Zoë looked round to Horatio who nodded at her, confirming what Alexx had said.

"Are you seeing him again, Zoë?" Horatio asked and she shrugged as she looked down at his shirt as she began to bite her lip. She took a broken breath as she looked back up at him and moved her head closer to his, putting her forehead against his. He continued to very gently rub her back as she played with his fingers. Alexx watched them, she saw the connection they had, her heart melted to see them so close together, to see them wearing their hearts on their sleeves. She watched Zoë's breathing calm down as Horatio lightly whispered to her.

Horatio pulled his head back slightly when she moved hers and looked at him with a calm expression. "Where and when are you seeing him beautiful?" Horatio asked softly, needing to know. He removed his hand from her back and placed his palm against her cheek as he threaded his fingers in her hair just above her ear.

She glanced over to the autopsy doors and pressed her lips into a hard line as she took a deep breath. She then looked back round to Horatio and let her eyes fall to his top button that wasn't done up. "He was stood behind Alexx, his eyes were glowing red with anger again. He had a knife in his hand, the knife he used to kill Mummy and Josh, the knife he was going to use to kill me too. It had their blood on it still." She said quietly as she bowed her head to his shoulder, placing her forehead against his neck. Alexx's eyes widened as she swallowed as she realised just how horrific Zoë's childhood was. '_I felt a shiver shoot up my spine too.'_ Alexx thought to herself as she looked back to the doors.

"I shouldn't have taken you in there, I'm sorry Zoë. He's not going to hurt you. Have you seen him any other times?" Horatio asked softly and she shook her head as she concentrated on his top button for a few moments.

She took a deep breath and looked back up at him. "But he could be anywhere though; he could come back for me and kill me because he didn't get to finish what he started." Zoë said quietly as she removed her hands from his and placed a hand on his shoulder as she placed the other lightly against his chest.

"He can't hurt you sweetheart, he's dead, he won't ever hurt you again." Horatio said softly and Alexx looked at Zoë and she saw Zoë for the scared little child that she tries so hard to hide. Horatio could see that Zoë wasn't entirely convinced. Her eyes skated around his face, wanting to believe him but her fear was preventing her to do so. He could see her confusion and knew something was confusing her, but didn't know what or whether it was anything to do with the situation at hand.

"Are you sure he's dead? Because you keep telling me that Emily and Olive aren't around, but it feels like they are but they're not and I'm not sure who's here or not anymore. What if he's come back?" Zoë said honestly and Horatio sighed feeling bad for not noticing her worry before. '_I should have noticed, I should have done something about this sooner.'_ He thought to himself as he began to lightly rub her thigh with his right hand.

"He's really gone Zoë, he's not going to hurt you, you don't have to be scared, no-one is going to hurt you, I won't allow it beautiful." Horatio said softly and Alexx tilted her head as a tear developed in the corner of her right eye. '_She's so scared, so helpless and confused. I never realised that she had to deal with so much, I never realised that she had so much fear inside. She always looks as if nothing affects her or bothers her, but I guess that's just a front she puts up.' _Alexx thought to herself. Alexx swallowed, ridding the lump from her throat.

"I think you're just very confused, with time things will become clearer. You need to talk to Horatio if you have any worries, or me, Nathan or Eric. We're all here to help you through this Zoë. I understand that it's hard right now, I understand that you're very confused, but there's no need to be scared or worried about anything. No-one is going to hurt you." Alexx said softly and Zoë gave her a small smile and nodded with a little bit of confidence in her eyes.

"Can I have a hug?" Zoë asked and Alexx gave her a warm smile.

"Of course baby girl." Alexx said as she stood with Zoë and gave her a gentle hug. Horatio relaxed slightly and exhaled a gentle breath, feeling a lot more at ease now Zoë was relaxing a lot more. He was happy to finally see her engaging with Alexx again.

"If you've got any worries, talk to Horatio Zoë, he can help you with these worries. Or you can come and see me or you can call me. You're both always welcome to come over to mine." Alexx said softly as they broke from the hug.

"Thank you" Zoë said softly and Alexx gave her a small smile as she placed her hand on Zoë's upper arm.

"Thank you Alexx." Horatio said sincerely as he stood and placed his hand on Zoë's lower back as she took a step back. She stepped back more when she felt Horatio's hand on her and then put hers around his lower back.

"Not to worry Horatio, give me a call if you need anything at all." Alexx said softly and Horatio nodded with a small smile.

He then looked down to Zoë with a gentle smile. "Shall we go and see Eric and then go home?" Horatio asked and Zoë nodded at him and then moved closer to him again as she took hold of his hand.

"See you both soon." Alexx said as they began to turn and walk away.

"See you later" Zoë said quietly as they glanced back to Alexx. They went to say bye to Eric and Zoë gave him a hug before they strolled out. They boarded the lift hand in hand as Horatio looked over to her with a gentle expression.

"You can talk to me about anything, Zoë. You could have told me you were worried about your father being back." Horatio said warmly as he tilted his head at Zoë, as he lifted her hand to his mouth and then placed a gentle kiss on the backs of each of her fingers.

"I don… I-I didn't… I–"She stuttered as she looked down and tried to pull her hand from his grip but he held her hand firmly and then moved her hand to rub her knuckles over his lips to his cheek. He dropped their hands to their side as they exited the lift while she looked up at him with wide eyes, becoming slightly worried again as he didn't let go of her hand when she wanted him to.

He gently let go of her hand and placed it on her lower back and gently pulled her closer. "It's okay sweetheart, I'm not mad at all, I just want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. If you have any worries at all, you can talk to me about them, whatever they are." Horatio said quietly as they walked past a bunch of officers while he rubbed her back while they strolled over to the car.

"I know." She said as she looked down at the pavement as Horatio held the door open for her. "Thank you" she said as she walked through the door and then waited for him to walk out too. She then took hold of his hand as they walked over to the large black Porsche that was parked up.

"Okay sweetheart, is there anywhere you want to stop off before we go home?" Horatio asked softly as he pulled his keys from his pocket and beeped the car open and walked over to her side and took hold of the handle to open the car door for her after letting go of her hand.

"No thank you." She said softly and Horatio nodded as he gestured for her to get in with a warm smile.

"Thank you" she said as she moved closer to him and then placed a light peck on his lips before she hopped in. Horatio made sure she did her seatbelt and then closed the door and walked around to get in himself while he slipped his sunglasses on. They pulled away and made their way home.

"How are you feeling?" Horatio asked softly as he removed a hand from the wheel and placed it over her thigh. He could feel that her muscles were tense so began to gently rub her thigh.

"I didn't like autopsy." She said as she looked round to Horatio while she sat in the seat, straight and looking on high alert as she glanced around occasionally.

"I know you didn't sweetheart, I'm sorry for taking you in there." Horatio said softly and she exhaled as she looked down as she began to play with her fingers in her lap. She often glanced to Horatio's large hand on her thigh as it smoothly moved up and down her thigh. "You got on with Alexx though, didn't you." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded as she looked back up to Horatio. He glanced over to her and saw her hesitation in the nod. "No-one is going to hurt you sweetheart, I promise you." Horatio said softly and she gave him a smile and then tried to reach over to hug him but was stopped by the seatbelt.

"Mmm" she moaned as her expression changed to the expression she pulls just before she's about to cry. Horatio glanced over to her and took hold of one of her hands and placed it on his thigh in hope of her having contact with him could calm her down.

"Stay in your seat sweetheart, we're nearly home, then you can have a hug. You're okay." Horatio said softly but she moaned again and tried to reach over for him again as she pulled her hand from his thigh. He quickly pulled over when he saw her beginning to lose it and knew that if she was to have an outburst while he was driving it could have disastrous consequences. He pushed the button for his hazard lights as they had pulled over at the side of a road. He then took his seatbelt off and leant over to her and gave her a warm hug and kiss. "You're okay sweetheart." Horatio assured her. She pulled away with a content smile. Horatio put his seatbelt back on and then drove off once Zoë was calm. They returned home and then went for a pleasant walk almost straight away.

Horatio put some lunch on once they were back and let Zoë relax in the living room while he put some washing on. He glanced round when he heard Zoë storming out of the living room and stamping up the stairs. He quickly glanced into the living room to make sure nothing was broken and then got back to lunch and let her cool herself off. He walked upstairs once lunch was ready and saw her lying face down on the bed, hugging his pillow. He stood at the door for a moment before he took a deep breath and entered the room.

"Zoë sweetheart, lunch is ready if you want it." Horatio said softly and she moved and then nodded up at him as she lifted her head. She slowly got up and walked out as she looked at the floor, she didn't make any eye contact with Horatio as he turned to follow her out. He poured her some orange juice as she sat down and quietly thanked him. Once they had finished lunch and Horatio had managed to engage in a pleasant conversation with her they began to tidy away. Zoë went to put their glasses in the dishwasher but dropped one and watched it smash on the floor. She quickly backed off startled by it, in the process dropping the second glass which startled her more.

"It's okay sweetheart." Horatio said immediately when he saw her starting to get worked up again. Her breathing and heart rate had almost doubled as she felt the prick of tears in the corner of her eyes. She kicked over a stool and then rushed out, in the process slamming the utility room door. Horatio closed his eyes and frowned when he heard the door slam shut. He very quickly cleared up the glass and put the stool upright, keeping himself calm but he could feel a headache starting to develop. He left her to it for 5 minutes and then went to check up on her, hoping that she'd calmed down. He knocked on the utility door and waited for her response. He could hear her heavy breathing but no other sound.

"Zoë?" Horatio questioned as he knocked again.

"Fuck off" Zoë yelled and he heard something heavy fall to the tiled flooring. He quickly opened the door to see the washing basket on the floor as she held a large box of detergent in her hands.

"I just said fuck off!" She yelled as she turned to him and then threw a box of detergent at the wall. It exploded and went everywhere. Zoë was covered head to toe in white detergent, Horatio had been partially covered also. Zoë began to cough and Horatio quickly pulled her out of the utility room by her arm as she covered her mouth and closed her eyes. He quickly wiped the detergent from around her mouth and eyes as she screwed up her face.

"You need a shower sweetheart, you'll itch." Horatio said softly and she pulled away from him and continued to cough as she scowled at him. He knew her outburst was far from over as he lightly coughed a few times himself. "You need a shower, Zoë." Horatio said a little more firmly as he stepped towards her and brushed the detergent from his shirt and trousers with his hands.

"Leave me alone!" She raised her voice as she turned on her heel and stalked away.

"Take your inhaler." Horatio said firmly as he watched her walk away, he knew she was about to have an attack.

"You take it!" She yelled and he sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose as he moved back and leant against the wall. He took a few deep breaths as he closed his eyes and rubbed his face, he feel his headache getting worse. Once he'd composed himself he walked back through to the utility room and began to sweep up the detergent and threw it away. '_She's having an outburst that's a little longer than normal, if it carries on I'll have to call Nathan. Am I really supposed to just leave her to calm down? That doesn't seem to work.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he took the bin out. He walked upstairs once he had tidied and walked into the en-suite and saw her sitting under the shower, looking up with the water hitting her face. He walked back out as he decided to leave her as she seemed to be calming down. He sat on the bed and placed his face in his hands. '_She's trying her best to calm down, I only exacerbated the outburst just now. She wouldn't have thrown the detergent if I hadn't have walked in. I should let her come to me in situations like that.'_ He thought to himself and then looked up at her as she walked out in the towel a few minutes later.

"Can you take your inhaler, please Zoë?" Horatio asked calmly and then saw her nod at him with a gentle, calm expression. She then walked over to the side of the bed and picked up her blue inhaler from the tableside. He exhaled a breath of relief as he watched her take it.

"Thank you" he said as he turned on the bed and faced her.

"I'm sorry Horatio." She said as she sighed again and put the inhaler down gently.

"It's okay sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she gave him a small nod as she glanced up at him. "I'll be downstairs if you need me, okay?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked back to the floor. She stood still as Horatio got up and walked over to her. She didn't turn around, she just continued to look at the floor with her back to him. He approached her and placed his hands on her hips as he lowered his head and placed a light kiss on her shoulder. "Take your time." Horatio said softly as he backed off from her and then walked out. '_I'm not sure I can deal with this much longer. I might have to ask Joe for some help, she can be a little too much of a handful at the moment, he was right._' Horatio thought to himself as he slowly walked down the stairs, feeling low. '_I've got a feeling that today isn't going to be an easy day._' He thought as he walked through to the living room and then slumped down onto the sofa. He took a deep breath as he put his head back and looked up at the white ceiling. Once she was dry she quickly walked down and entered the living room silently. She saw him with his eyes closed, resting his head back on the sofa with his arms sprawled across the back of the sofa. She could see that he was tired and felt bad about the outburst. She walked around the sofa and sat down to his left as she continued to look at his tired face. He quickly lifted his head and opened his eyes when he felt her sit next to him. He gave her a gentle smile and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He quickly and lightly kissed her temple before she put her head down on his shoulder.

"Do you watch porn?" Zoë questioned and Horatio let out a startled chuckle as she was so blunt.

"No sweetheart." He said with a smile and she nodded as he began to lightly rub her upper arm. "Why?" He asked softly with a gentle smile. Just hearing her voice had automatically relaxed him, even though her question had put him in the spotlight a little.

"I don't know, the question just came into my head." Zoë shrugged and he nodded and then lightly kissed the top of her head. She sat with him for about 45 minutes until she began to get annoyed again when she played with his left hand.

She frowned as she lifted her head and looked down at his hand. "Where's your ring?!" She questioned as she pushed his hand away and sat up, glaring at him fiercely. '_Is he cheating on me and taking his wedding ring off when I'm not around?!'_ She thought to himself as the fire ignited once again.

"What ring, Zoë?" Horatio questioned as he looked round to her and frowned deeply, becoming worried.

"Your wedding ring!" She said firmly as she pointed to his left hand.

"We're not married sweetheart, look down at your hand, you're not wearing one either." Horatio said softly and she looked down and sighed heavily. She pressed her lips into a hard line as she closed her eyes for a moment as she took a few more deep breaths. She got up and kicked the coffee table, then walked out. Horatio was getting increasingly stressed with each outburst. '_There must be something I can do to stop these?'_ He questioned as he put his head back again, he felt the pounding intensify once more. He closed his eyes and maintained a steady breathing pattern. She came back in, causing Horatio to lift his head and look at her. She looked calm as anything with a gentle smile as she sat back down next to him and placed her hands on his thigh as she looked up into his tired blue eyes.

"Sorry" she exhaled, getting tired and annoyed of her outbursts herself. '_I'm even pissing myself off, why can't I stop them?' _She thought to herself as her eyes skated around his face, it was clear that he was very frustrated.

"Don't worry." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then placed her head down on his shoulder. He closed his eyes again as he placed his cheek on the top of her head, resting his head on hers and felt himself falling to sleep. '_I do think I just need a good sleep, I think I'm over tired, that's the problem.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he began to lightly doze. She hadn't even noticed as she watched the TV for a little while before she lifted her head and then pounced on him which caused him to wake quickly and lift his head as he opened his eyes wide. He felt his heart beating wildly in his chest and then took a deep breath when he realised Zoë had only jumped on him and sat on his thighs. She pushed him back against the sofa and began to kiss him roughly, putting pressure on his aching chest.

"Zoë, calm down." Horatio said as he tried to push her hips away. She pulled at his shirt as he slid her further away down towards his knees. But she quickly moved closer again and tried to kiss him deeply. He pulled his head away as he hissed in pain because she was leaning on his chest exactly where one of his worse fractures were. "You're being too rough, Zoë. Calm down and I'll happily kiss and cuddle with you." Horatio said softly as he pushed her hips away again. She heavily exhaled and then got up off him and walked out. Horatio put his head back and rubbed his face. '_She's having a bit of a bad day, I think. Nathan said that it could get worse before it gets better, perhaps that is what this is?'_ Horatio thought to himself as he dropped his hands back to his thighs and steadied his breathing out to keep himself calm and to control the pain that was now moving through his chest each time he took a deep breath. He got up and took a couple of painkillers before moving back to the sofa where he fell asleep for a couple of hours. He was then woken by Zoë as she stood on the coffee table in front of him and quietly cursed to herself.

"Zoë, what are you doing sweetheart?" Horatio questioned frantically as he sat up.

"Trying to change this light bulb." She said as she glanced down to him and he nodded and then got up and placed a hand on her waist to make sure she was steady.

"I've got it." He said softly as he reached up and took the bulb from her hand. He felt her place both hands on his shoulders as he reached up with his other hand, happy that she wasn't going to fall now that she had a hold of him and quickly changed it as she watched.

"I've been fiddling with that for the past 5 minutes and you manage to do it in seconds?" She questioned and he gave her a smile as he looked down to her. He helped her off the coffee table and then placed a light kiss on her lips as he held her waist loosely.

"Try and be gentle when you want to kiss and cuddle sweetheart, is that okay?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded with a guilty expression.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was being rough." She said quietly as she looked down. Horatio pulled her head back up so he could look her in the eye.

"That's okay sweetheart, just try and be careful next time. I don't mind if you want to cuddle or if you want intimacy, but you must be gentle." Horatio said softly and she nodded.

"I'm sorry." She said as she pulled her head from his hand and then wrapped her arms around him.

"It's okay." He said as he rubbed her back and looked up to the window as a boyish smile appeared across his face. "You can perhaps get a little rougher once we're actually making love, but not before." Horatio said softly and he felt her chuckle as he looked down to the top of her head.

"I didn't mean to hurt you Horatio." She said as she took a step back and took his hands in hers while she looked up at him. '_She'll feel extremely bad if I admit she hurt me…'_ He thought to himself as his boyish smile turned into a gentle, confident smile.

"You didn't hurt me, but you could have if you had carried on. But don't worry about it sweetheart, I'm fine." He said softly and she nodded and then hugged him again.

"How about beef casserole and dumplings tonight?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded with a smile as she stepped back again and held his waist. She could already feel her mouth watering.

"No mushrooms though and–" Zoë said softly as she lightly shook her head.

"And the onions chopped up really small, I know sweetheart." Horatio smiled and she gave him a brilliant smile with a nod. He chuckled lightly and then nuzzled her nose as she smiled brightly at him. '_I guess the outbursts are a minor thing compared to when she's this happy. Her tantrums are worth it when I can see that smile.'_ He thought to himself as his hands loosened on her waist.

"Can you go and put a pair of my boxers on while I start dinner?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she moved away from him. "Thank you sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he watched her walk away. '_She's struggling herself, I know she hates these outbursts, I don't think she can take it much longer either.'_ Horatio thought to himself. He walked into the kitchen and washed his hands before he started preparing the vegetables and things. He cooked the meal and then called up to Zoë, he knew that she was on the Xbox again as he could hear the gun fire and her occasional cursing.

"I'll be down in two seconds." She called and Horatio then dished up and placed it on the counter with a glass of water. She came down soon after and sat next to Horatio with a bright smile. '_At least she's happy, I had my suspicions that she'd come down in a mood after all of that violence in that game.' _Horatio thought to himself.

"Thank you Horatio, this is delicious!" She smiled at him and he smiled back, happy. '_Today has been such a rollercoaster of emotions, stressed one minute, then happy then stressed again. How she does this on a daily basis I don't know.' _He thought to himself and then began to engage in gentle, happy conversation with her. He managed to keep the conversation on a pleasant track and then put the plates and glasses away himself to avoid a repeat of earlier.

"Film tonight?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she got up and beamed at him.

"How about Pirates of the Caribbean?" She asked and Horatio nodded with a gentle smile.

"Yay! Captain Jack Sparrow!" She grinned before she walked out. Horatio quickly wiped the sides down and then walked into the living room and sat beside Zoë's head as she laid across the sofa. She moved and placed her head in his lap as he began to play with her hair. He watched a happy smile form on her face as she closed her eyes and he knew she'd be asleep within minutes if he continued, so he continued for that reason. She fell asleep on his leg and Horatio sighed as he looked down at her naked body and saw the fading extensive bruises that covered most of her skin. He knew his chest looked the same, as well as his arms and legs. She quickly woke around 7.45PM and sat up quickly. She rubbed her forehead as she took a few deep breaths and looked down to Horatio's lap, studying the black trousers as she began to bite her lip and rub her forehead more.

"Alright?" Horatio asked softly and she nodded as she removed her hand from her forehead and placed it over his warm thigh.

"I just had a dream that I was hit by a bus… then developed a penis…" She said as she looked round to him, with a nervous chuckle as she frowned mildly at him. A smile tugged at her lips as she watched him chuckle to himself as he shook his head. He raised a hand to her head and lightly ran his thumb over the right side of her forehead as he saw that it had swollen again slightly.

"Do you want a coffee?" She asked as she got up and pulled away from Horatio.

"I'll make it sweetheart, you stay and rest." Horatio said softly before he saw her facial expression change dramatically.

"Stop treating me like such a child! I can make a bloody cup of coffee myself!" She said firmly before she stormed out. Horatio exhaled and realised that he was trying to stop her from doing anything.

"Sorry Zoë, you're more than welcome to make it, I just like to see you resting." Horatio said softly and she ignored him as he stood the other side of the island counter, watching her boil the kettle. He backed off when he realised that she was trying her best to bite her tongue. He could hear her grinding her teeth together and readied himself for the verbal attack as he concentrated on the paper in front of him.

"I don't need supervision either!" She snapped forcefully as she turned to him with fire in her eyes.

"I'm not supervising you Zoë, I was reading this paper." Horatio said as he looked up to her and then held the newspaper up. He felt his headache multiply and knew it was because of the stress. She exhaled and then turned around to the two mugs, he also exhaled heavily when he could feel himself becoming highly stressed. '_There's only so much more I can take, I know. I think I'm going to have to ring Nathan soon at some point.'_ Horatio thought to himself. He blinked a few times at the paper as his vision began to blur slightly. He then closed it as the small print was making his headache worse. She heard his exhale and it drove her anger and outburst more. Horatio could feel the fiery atmosphere, but refused to walk out in case she hurt herself in her stressed state.

"Don't get pissy with me!" She shouted as she turned around and stormed out of the kitchen towards the back of the house. '_What on Earth is going through her head? I exhaled, is that enough to cause another outburst?'_ Horatio asked himself genuinely confused as he watched her stalk through the house with her hands in tight fists. "Your coffee is on the side." She shouted as she made her way to the back door. '_Calm yourself, you'll make it worse if you stress at her too. Remain calm and the situation will blow over.'_ He told himself as he turned and began to walk through to the back of the house.

"Zoë, don't go out of that back door." Horatio said calmly as he watched her nearing the door.

"What are you going to do about it?!" She shouted as she opened it as she scowled at him. His heart rate doubled as he realised it was going to be a difficult outburst.

"Zoë, come back in please." Horatio asked calmly again as he placed his hands on his hips and stood strong as she glared at him. He took a deep breath as he looked at her, he felt his headache worsen again. It had gotten so bad that it began to disturb his thoughts.

"I'm going for a run, fuck off." She growled as she walked through the back garden.

"Zoë, you're not going for a run, you're not decent." Horatio said as he rushed over to her and stepped in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. He could see her seething with anger, he knew he was pushing her to her very limits but he couldn't allow her to walk out of the gate. He could see her face flushing red as her eyes turned ice cold as she glared at him rebelliously.

"Out of my way" she warned lowly as she moved her icy eyes from his to his chest, tensing her jaw as they moved.

"Zoë, think about it, you're naked, you cannot run up the beach. You're not thinking clearly." Horatio said firmly yet calmly as he placed his hands on his hips and watched her eyes glare at his chest.

"I will do what I like." She said as she tried to get around him but he moved when she did. She stepped to the right but he followed her move, then followed again as she stepped back to the left. He could see her getting a lot angrier and could see her face flushing bright red. He noticed that her fists had clenched and knew it really wasn't going to be a pretty situation. He could see the definition of her muscles in her stomach as even they had tensed. "I'm warning you, get out of my way." Zoë warned lowly as she looked back up at him. She watched his eyes become firm from the soft calm eyes there were a moment before. She quickly studied his body as his muscles tensed too. '_I don't want to have to restrain her. I'm certain she wouldn't try and fight against me, even in her anger, she wouldn't hurt me, would she?'_ Horatio asked himself, trying to judge just how dangerous situation he was getting himself into as he knew that she could very easily have him on the floor and in a lot more pain if she wanted to physically fight.

"No; you will be arrested if you go out onto that beach like this." Horatio said firmly, becoming stressed himself which drove the pain from his headache deep into the rest of his body. '_She could quite easily snap my neck. She isn't thinking clearly.'_ He thought as she stepped closer, intimidatingly. For someone who was a lot smaller than him, she was the first person to really intimidate Horatio.

"I'll just fuck the officers and they'll let me off!" Zoë growled as she looked deep into his eyes. Horatio swallowed and took a deep breath, brushing her comment away. She'd caught him completely by surprise as he tried to hide his shock. He knew that it was not her speaking at all, but he could feel her pushing his limits to the max.

Horatio took a deep breath as he looked down at the floor between them and calmed himself further, or tried to anyway. "Zoë, I'm asking you to go back inside, please." Horatio said calmly as he looked back up at her while he tilted his head, trying to be as unthreatening as he could be. He saw the look in her eyes and he saw that she'd picked up on his weakness.

"You don't like that do you! You don't like the idea of me fucking another man." She growled at him and then watched him press his lips together into a hard, firm line.

"Zoë-Mae, get inside now, please." He said a little more forcefully, using her middle name to show her that he meant business. He could feel himself sitting on the edge of the ledge. '_Please don't push me further, Zoë.'_ He begged her in his mind as their eyes stayed connected, both seething with pent up anger just as much as the other.

"Maybe I'll go and find Wolfe!" She shouted at him and he swallowed again and took another deep breath and ran a hand through his hair as he stepped back and looked down. '_She wouldn't.' _Horatio told himself. She really saw his weakness and tried to get past him again but he matched her movements so she couldn't get past him. All he wanted to do is fall to his knees and beg her to go in and beg her to stop what she was saying but he knew that wouldn't be of any use at all. '_Don't let her get to you, she doesn't mean what she's saying. She's going to be distraught when she calms down.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he gritted his teeth together and took another deep breath before relaxing his jaw and looking back up at her. He placed his hands on his hips again to try and show her that her words weren't affecting him, but he knew full well that she was using his weakness as her advantage.

"If you don't get out of my way I'll fuck him in our bed." Zoë growled at him and she watched Horatio exhale again, he was trying his very best to keep his cool but his head was pounding and his stress levels were reaching their absolute max. '_I'm not sure just how much more I can take.'_ Horatio thought as he raised a hand to his head.

"I'm going to ask one more time, Zoë, please go back inside." Horatio warned as he put his hands back on his hips.

"Imagine me fucking Wolfe in our bed, you could watch it on the CCTV!" She growled fiercely.

"Zoë!" Horatio raised his voice, just as he lost it and she scowled at him. He matched her scowl as he felt every muscle tense. He was fighting against himself, all he wanted to do was get her back inside even if it meant he had to drag her, but he knew that would hurt her and would damage the trust she had with him.

"Fuck off Horatio!" She screamed and then tried to walk straight at him as going around wasn't working. She raised her hands to push him back but he took hold of her wrists and watched her fierce eyes connect with his as his eyes equalled her anger.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

"Zoë, I don't want to have to restrain you." Horatio begged her as he held her wrists together between their bodies. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself back down. He could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest which caused his hands to tighten around her wrists. His headache screamed at him which caused him to weaken slightly and aided the lessening anger and frustration.

"Let go of me!" Zoë growled at him as she tried to push forwards but he was stronger than her. He resisted against her and held his ground while she continued to struggle and glare up at him. He pulled her closer using her wrists and looked firmly into her eyes.

"Zoë, calm down, I know you're struggling right now, but you've got to calm down." Horatio begged her firmly but she pulled back and pulled him closer to the pool. She used her weight to pull him towards the pool as she leant back.

"Don't make me do this Horatio, let go of me." She growled but he continued to hold her wrists while he was dragged forwards by Zoe. He saw the burning fire in her eyes just as she pulled him down as she threw herself backwards on the floor and raised her legs. Her feet made contact with his hips as he was dragged down with her and she pushed him up and backwards over her using her legs and pushed him into the pool using his momentum as he fell, essentially flipping him into the pool. She quickly got back onto her feet and made her way to the back gate as Horatio surfaced.

"Skyler lock the back gate, do not open it to anyone but me." Horatio yelled as his heart raced and he heard the gate lock itself. He sighed heavily with relief as he knew she couldn't get out of the gate. '_She is completely out of control.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Skyler, unlock the gate." Zoë shouted as she pulled on it but it didn't unlock.

Zoë turned to Horatio. "You bastard!" Zoë shouted as he made his way out of the pool, dripping wet. She ran at one of the fences and jumped up. He quickly rushed over to her and placed his hands on her hips as she held on as she moaned quietly. He could feel his expensive shoes squelching as his dripping wet trousers pinched his skin. '_I'm going to have to send her back to the hospital, I can't deal with this.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Zoë, please calm down." Horatio begged and she let go of the fence as she brought her hands up to her forehead. Horatio caught her as she fell and held her against him with his arms tightly wrapped around her stomach. "What's wrong? Zoë?" Horatio questioned and she let out a moan as her head drooped forwards. He quickly lifted her and then ran inside with her while he thought back and realised that she had whacked her head on the fence when she jumped up at it. He quickly laid her on the sofa where she began to cry as she covered her face using one of her arms as she rubbed her forehead.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Horatio questioned. She tried to push him away but he didn't move. He placed his left hand on her neck to get her pulse as he threated the fingers on his right hand through her silky hair. '_Her pulse is good.'_ Horatio thought to himself but saw her rubbing her forehead and knew she'd whacked it good. "I'm calling an ambulance." Horatio said as he began to get up but she grabbed his shirt and held onto him as she shook her head.

"No" she begged him as she pulled him back down and removed her hand from her forehead to cover her eyes. He could see that it was slightly swollen and again, he then lightly ran his thumb over the swollen area just to make sure the fracture was still stable. '_I'm not surprised it's swollen, she did charge at the wall.'_ He thought to himself as he knelt back down and threaded his hand in his hair. '_She's asking me to stay? Or does she just not want me to call for an ambulance? Why did I leave her phone in the kitchen?'_ Horatio questioned himself as he threaded his right hand into her hair again as he placed his right hand on her upper abdomen.

"I'll call Nathan then." He asked and she shook her head again as she sat up and then quickly ran out after getting up. Horatio sat back, still dripping wet against the coffee table and rubbed his face as he took a deep breath. '_What am I supposed to do?'_ He questioned himself as he shook his head and looked at the cream carpet, he was distraught. He sat there for 10 minutes, confused himself. He exhaled a heavy breath and then kicked the sofa in frustration before he brought his knees up and leant on them, crossing his arms over each other. His thoughts were running wild, he didn't know how to collect them, things were popping up from no-where. His past made a visit as well as the present. He didn't know what to do with himself as he began to shiver slightly. '_I should have listened to Nathan, I should have made her stay in the hospital, I can't deal with this much longer, they're getting worse. My head… my head is getting so much worse. It must be the stress, it has to be. This has to be one of the worst headaches I've experienced.' _ He thought to himself as he slowly got up and took some strong painkillers. '_I want to go back to that dream, to where everything was perfect. Why did we have to wake up really? Life is so difficult, everything was perfect. I'd give nearly anything to go back right now. It would all just be better if we went back to that dream world. Why should we live in this reality when all we get is danger, hurt and terror from every corner and turn we take? We didn't have any of that in our dream world, perhaps that's the answer? Going back to that world would stop all of the bad stuff.'_ Horatio thought to himself as a lump formed in his throat. He slowly walked upstairs and into their room, silently. He expected to see Zoë in there as he couldn't hear her cursing at the Xbox, or gun fire from the game, but she wasn't. He quickly stripped and then pulled on some jogging bottoms and a t-shirt after changing his boxers. He quietly walked down the hall and then stood at one of the doors of the guest bedrooms. He could feel the painkillers setting in so felt much calmer than what he was.

"David I need you, I really need you, why aren't you here for me? I just pushed Horatio in the pool, I just swore at him and said some disgusting things. He'll never forgive me! I don't forgive myself. What do I do David? I'm scared I'm going to seriously hurt him, I don't want to hurt him at all. I don't want to say these things, I don't want to fight him. I can't imagine how that made him feel, I can't imagine how much he's hurting now. I deserve to be punished, I deserve pain but _he's_ not here to punish me anymore. Why's this happening? David talk to me please, tell me what to do; I need you! I'm so confused. I love Horatio so much, I don't want to hurt him in the slightest but I'm tearing him apart. I'm ruining his life. He needs someone to take care of him too, he needs someone to be there for him, he can't look after me all his life. I'm too much of a handful, I'm too much of a burden to him. It would be better if he actually thought about himself before he thought about me, but he's running himself into the ground because of me. What if I don't change? What if I get worse? What if I really seriously hurt him? I couldn't live with myself, David. I already want to cut my throat out so I can't say anymore hurtful things. I don't want him to forgive me, he should not be putting up with that shit from me. I want him to hurt me, I want him to teach me a lesson so I never do that again, I want him to hit me. But he won't, he didn't even hit me when I was saying those disgusting things. Why didn't he hit me? He should have! I am repulsed at myself and what came out of my mouth, what if he believes I will do what I said? What if he believes me, David? I don't know what I'd do, my life would be over. I can't believe that came out of my mouth, I don't understand why I'd say something like that. I should have stayed in the hospital where Nathan could have sedated me, or I should have knocked myself out. I shouldn't be giving Horatio this sort of responsibility. I need you David, I need you to tell me what to do, please!" He heard her begging, but he dare not to open the door. His heart broke, but he was also so confused himself, he just didn't know what to do. He didn't know who to talk to. He raised both of his hands to his face as he took a few steps back and leant against the wall opposite the door while he took a few deep breaths.

"Please David, talk to me!" She yelled as she hit the bed. "I need you" she cried as she hit the bed again. Horatio stepped forwards and reached out for the door as his heart pounded. He swallowed as he shook his head. '_I'll make it worse. She needs her own space, she needs time to talk to David.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he stepped back again. '_But I can't have her tell herself that she's a bad person, she'll believe it. She's not a bad person, I know she didn't mean any of that. I didn't help the situation at all because I got stressed, that's what caused her to see her advantage and take it. I shouldn't have taken hold of her wrists either. I knew she wouldn't hurt me, that's why she threw me in the pool, she didn't want to hurt me, but she wanted to get me off.' _He thought to himself.

"I fucking hate myself, I'm disgusting, I'm a horrible bitch. I don't blame him if he wants to leave me." She sobbed and Horatio hurt even more to hear her telling herself such things. He looked down at the floor and shook his head. '_I really should leave her for the moment, she needs her space, don't go in there Horatio. I need my space anyway.'_ He told himself. He turned around so he couldn't hear anymore and walked over to the bedroom and sat on the bed. He rubbed his face and then stared blankly down at the floor. '_We should be in the Seychelles right now, we should be having the time of our lives. She should be my wife.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he sighed. He looked up at the window and saw the sun peering through brightly. '_I can't do this, I'm going to have to call Nathan. I'll give her until the morning and I hope she improves, but if not, I'll have to call him. I cannot take another day like this.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he looked back down to the floor. '_I can't send her back to hospital, can I? Can I really be responsible for that? I'm going to have to be, I know I can't take anymore, I didn't think it would be this difficult. Why didn't I listen to Nathan? He knows what he's talking about!'_ Horatio questioned himself as he laid back. He flicked the TV on quietly and then moved to place his head on his pillow still thinking to himself. 30 minutes later he heard the door open and heard her walking down the hall.

"Would you like a coffee? I'm making tea." She said quietly as she subtly wiped her eyes.

"No thank you sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she nodded and then left. He continued to look over to the door as he listened to her move around the kitchen and then heard the squeak of the study door. He laid there for 2 hours, still feeling confused and 10.45pm soon came around. He'd let his mind swallow him up as he vaguely listened to the TV in the background. He also caught himself dozing at some points. He concentrated hard to listen to see whether Zoë was still downstairs or upstairs now. He could hear the light clicking of the laptop buttons in the study so knew that she still hadn't had a shower or bath. Horatio was starting to worry. '_What if she's booking flights to another country right now? I wouldn't put it past her_." He thought as he got up and walked downstairs. '_What if she does want to leave me? I shouldn't have grabbed her wrists.'_ He thought as he walked over to the study and slowly opened the door.

"You should probably have your shower soon sweetheart, it's getting late." Horatio said quietly, softly and she looked round and nodded as she closed the laptop lid as her eyes rested on the carpeted floor by his feet.

She slowly rose to her feet and began to make her way out. "I'm using the main bathroom." She said quietly as she walked past Horatio, keeping her eyes locked on the floor, unable to make eye contact with him. Horatio nodded and then sighed because he didn't get any eye contact with her. He walked over to the laptop to see what she was hiding from him and he sat at the chair and lifted the lid. He saw a load of webpages open about head injuries and outbursts and what people can do to minimise the outbursts or control them. He leant on the desk and he knew she was trying her hardest to stop them. He rested his head in his hands as he glanced down to the note pad beside the laptop to see her notes on the matter. He rubbed his tired face and then closed the laptop lid again. '_I knew she was trying her best to minimize them, I knew she didn't like them either and that she had no control over them whatsoever.'_ He thought as he got up and turned the light off and then went upstairs. He had a quick shower in the en-suite and changed in the bedroom. He walked down the hall and knocked on the bathroom door. When he didn't get a response he opened it but she wasn't in there. He walked down the hall and saw her in one of the guest beds. He frowned and exhaled.

"What are you doing in here sweetheart? Aren't you coming to bed?" Horatio asked softly as he stood in the doorway.

"You don't want me in bed with you Horatio, I'm a fucking bitch. I don't deserve the luxury of sharing a bed with you." She said quietly without even turning over to look at him.

"That's not true sweetheart, you know it." Horatio said softly as he slowly entered the room and over to the bed. He slowly sat on the bed and looked over to her. He saw that she was hugging a pillow as she curled into a small ball.

"I don't want to argue about this, I'm a fucking bitch and I don't deserve to share the bed with you. What I did and said earlier is unforgivable. I'm an absolute disgrace Horatio and I don't want you to say that you forgive me." She mumbled as she tightened her grip on the pillow.

He reached over and placed his hand lightly on her side as she continued to face away from him. "I know you didn't mean what you said, I know you didn't mean what you did. I pushed you to that, I took hold of your wrists, I lost it myself Zoe. Don't blame yourself, because it wasn't you who said those things." Horatio said but she remained silent. She just pulled the duvet up and hugged it with the pillow. He sighed quietly and then slowly stood back up, but he didn't walk out. Instead he peeled back the duvet cover and slowly climbed into bed with her.

"I don't want to hurt you Horatio, please don't." She begged him as she hugged the duvet tighter. He ignored her and moved closer and pulled her back towards him as he laid on his side. She felt his arm around her, holding her close to his warm body. She felt so relieved, yet so tense at the same time; relieved because just his touch made everything seem so much better, but tense because she was genuinely afraid of hurting him. She wanted to shut him out all together so she couldn't hurt him. She felt his fingers move across her skin with ease as she felt him relax slowly.

"Horatio, please don't." She whispered as a few tears fell from her eyes.

"I need to sleep with you Zoë, you're the only thing that keeps the nightmares away, you're the only thing that keeps me safe at night." Horatio whispered back as he moved closer, pushing his nose into her fresh hair. He continued to let his fingers travel her ribs and abdomen as he slowly fell asleep. She laid awake for hours often quietly sobbing to herself. She got out of bed at 1.30am once her emotions were going crazy and when she feared her crying would wake Horatio. She walked out of the room and went downstairs, she felt the cool air hit her body when she walked into the hall. She stood there for a moment, looking from the front door to the living room while her feet cooled down when in contact with the cold tiles. She swallowed as she looked down and turned to face the front door. She moved forwards and opened it, quickly leaving, naked. The only material on her body was Horatio's boxers. She walked along paths crying her eyes out, hugging herself as shivering began to set in in the cool Miami air. She hated herself, she didn't want to inflict anymore hurt on Horatio.

'_Someone run me over please; I don't want to live anymore, not after what I said. Horatio must've been absolutely distraught, he must hate me. He must be disgusted. He must think that I'm a vile woman… and I am.' _She cried loudly, walking the streets glancing up at the occasional car that travelled past, with the drivers and passengers staring at her._ 'I want to go back to our perfect world. I don't want to be here anymore, I don't want to live my life in reality. What if I walk out in front of a car? Would that take me back to that perfect place? Would that allow me to see my babies again? I can't do this to Horatio anymore… Woah!' _ She thought to herself as a car came to a screeching holt inches from her. She realised she was in the middle of the road as she turned her head to look at the dark car. '_Okay, I don't want to be run over…_' She thought to herself as she swallowed and felt her heart leap into her mouth as she looked round to the windscreen to try and see the driver but the headlights were blinding her.

"Zoë?!" A man called as the front door opened.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

"Nathan?" Zoë questioned once she recognised him as he rushed over to her.

"What are you doing?!" Nathan questioned frantically as he took his jacket off and threw it around her. She burst into tears and he quickly pulled her in for a hug. "Oh Zoë…" Nathan sighed as he gently rubbed her back as she cried into his shirt while she held him close. He could feel her lightly shivering and knew she was quite away from home. "Come on get in." He said before he gently led her round to the passenger door and got her in. He put her seatbelt on while she continued to sob into her hands. He closed her door and then quickly jumped into his side. He pulled his seatbelt over him and glanced around to make sure no-one was around in case anyone got the wrong idea about the situation. "What are you doing out, and naked, Zoë?" Nathan questioned as he put the car into gear and drove off, often glancing over to her. She was too hysterical to say anything as she shook her head. He sighed softly to himself and then pulled a box of tissues from the back seat and placed them in her lap. She gave him a quick nod in appreciation as she pulled a couple of tissues to wipe her nose and her eyes. He looked over to her again as they drove in the night. He quickly ran his hand through his hair, shocked by the state she was in. '_I thought everything was good. Alexx said that they looked good, Horatio hadn't called to ask for help. What's happened?'_ Nathan asked himself as he looked over to her again. "I'm taking you home sweet." Nathan said softly as he set his eyes back on the road and she shook her head as she sat forwards.

"No! Anywhere but home please!" She begged him and he looked round to her with a frown. He knew from the desperateness in her voice that home was the last place she wanted to be. "I think we need a chat, Zoë. Do you want to come back to mine?" He asked and Zoë nodded as she tried drying her eyes. He could see her thinking about something before she burst into hysterical tears again as she pulled her feet up onto the seat and hugged her knees close to her chest. She dropped her head to her knees and intentionally hit her forehead on her kneecap.

"Woah, Zoë, don't do that. Talk to me sweet." Nathan said as he reached over and placed his hand on her upper arm. "I need you to talk to me Zoë." Nathan said warmly as he looked over to her again but he could see that she was too choked up to talk. He removed his hand from her upper arm and placed it on the wheel as he thought to himself. She remained silent while she tried to control her breathing and hysterical crying. He pulled up at his and then opened her door for her as she unplugged her seatbelt, she didn't speak one word, she just followed his orders.

"Come on sweet, you're freezing." He said as he helped her out of the car and into his house. He took her through to the kitchen as she silently looked around, observing his plain modern home.

"Does Horatio know you've gone?" He questioned and Zoë shook her head as she wrapped the jacket around her tighter and looked down at the granite worktops.

"He was still sleeping." Zoë whispered before she burst into tears again. She moved around the island counter and reached out for him. He stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around her again as he looked up at the clock on the kitchen wall – 1.45AM. He sighed softly as he lightly rubbed her back, allowing her to cry into his shoulder but he could feel her shivering worsen slightly.

He pulled back slightly and then pulled the jacket around her more to cover her. She took hold of the jacket and then wrapped her arms around herself and looked up at him with tears falling from her eyes slowly. "Wait here Zoë." He said as he rushed upstairs and came down with a pair of jogging bottoms and a t-shirt with a hoodie. He saw her stood in the middle of his kitchen, looking down at the floor as she maintained a steady breathing rate but he could hear her quiet sobbing.

"Put these on please." He said a little firmly so she wouldn't argue with him and she quickly did as he had asked while she continued to cry as she shivered. He pulled her in for another hug and rubbed her back, feeling a lot more comfortable now she wasn't naked in his house. "Come on, we're going to have a nice long talk, I've got all night." Nathan said softly as he took her through to his living room. He gestured for her to sit and she sat exactly where he gestured to as he pulled a box of tissues from the coffee table over to them as he sat next to her. He groaned inwardly, contently when he finally sat down in a comfortable seat after a day of rushing around and sitting in his less than comfortable office chair. He then looked over to her as she wiped her eyes.

She looked at him and she knew he wanted an explanation for everything. "I can't go back home, Nathan. I'm destroying Horatio!" She sobbed before she began to cry more through sheer guilt and upset as he handed her a few tissues.

"Why? What's happened?" He asked softly as she sat back, feeling the soft cushions soothe his aching back as she pulled her legs up and crossed them on the sofa as she turned to him to give him her full attention.

"I keep having these outbursts, they've been much worse today. I said some disgusting and disgraceful things and I can't forgive myself. I also pushed him in the pool! I could have really hurt him!" She cried as she shook her head and looked him in the eye.

"What did you say?" Nathan asked as he sat forwards with a concerned expression as he looked into her light brown eyes, seeing just how distressed they really were now that the lighting was sufficient.

"Does it matter? It was repulsive!" She cried forcefully as she shook her head.

"Just explain it all to me, Zoë." Nathan said softly and she took a deep breath as she looked at the tissue in her hands as she rested her hands in her lap.

"It was all okay up until today, I think I was doing quite well. I do think I've been stressing Horatio out but I'm not sure, he hasn't said anything. Today, I've had lots of outbursts, each lasting longer and getting worse. First it just started off with me shouting, I removed myself from the room a few times. Then I accidentally dropped two glasses, I exploded and kicked a stool over and then burst a washing detergent box all over the utility room and swore at Horatio. I had another where I shouted at Horatio. The worst was this evening, I needed to go for a run to cool off as I was the angriest I've ever been. I didn't know what else to do apart from run it out, but Horatio stopped me because I wasn't dressed. Things escalated and I shouted disgusting things." She paused as she closed her eyes, replaying the situation in her mind as she began to shake her head as Nathan handed her more tissues.

"You're doing well Zoë, just calmly tell me exactly what happened." Nathan said warmly as he placed his hand over her knee. She took a couple of deep breaths and nodded as she continued to look down at her hands.

"He argued that I'd be arrested if I went for a run in just his boxers. I replied with something like "I'd fuck the officer to get let off" and then it escalated more when I saw his weakness. I used Wolfe, I said I'd fuck him and once I saw him grow weaker and my words pierce a hole in him I said I'd fuck Wolfe in our bed. He took hold of my wrists when I tried to push him away. He's obviously stronger than me and was quickly restraining me so I pushed him in the pool and then made a run for it. I can't believe I said those things! He got Skyler to lock the gate so I couldn't get out and then I've just tried to cool off this evening. I've tried researching what to do when an outburst occurs, but I didn't get anything other than 'remove yourself from the room'. I don't know what to do, I'm so confused. I've disgusted myself, he'll never accept me back. I don't want him to forgive me as what I said is absolutely vile. I pushed him in a bloody pool! I don't want to hurt him Nathan, I'm terrified of hurting him. I don't want to go back in case I hurt him. I tried keeping away in case something like that happened again, I tried sleeping in one of the guestrooms but he came in. He tried to say that he understands that it wasn't me, but I can't let him forgive me. He shouldn't be dealing with me, he shouldn't be under this much stress. He doesn't need me in his life, he needs someone who's stronger than me. I couldn't sleep so I walked out; I wanted air and I didn't want to go back, I hoped that someone would run me over because I want to go back to that dream world Nathan. I want to go back to where everything was perfect. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt him in any way again." She said and then broke down again and wiped her eyes and nose more as she shook her head, refusing to make eye contact with Nathan.

"I told you both it was going to be difficult sweet, but Horatio's right, it wasn't you saying those things. You didn't push him in the pool - that was the head injury. You can't blame yourself Zoë, it wasn't you talking. He knows that you would never do what you said, he knows that you weren't saying those things. He knows not to take your comments personally. I told him that this could or would happen and he agreed to it, he knows what he's got himself into. He knew that taking hold of your wrists could cause you to react back Zoë, so you can't blame yourself for that either. He knows that when you feel trapped or restrained you'll lash out, that's what you did, that's your instinct, you can't fight that. All you did was push him in the pool and he wasn't hurt, so you don't need to worry about that. I used to push Matthew and my sister in the pool all the time, they also did it to me. You won't hurt him sweet, you may say some hurtful things, but they won't intentionally hurt him. You won't physically hurt him because you're incapable of that. You could never physically hurt him–" Nathan was saying warmly as he tilted his head, trying to gain eye contact.

"I pushed him in a fucking pool! He could have got hurt!" Zoë raised her voice as she looked up at him. He could see the small flame in her eyes and knew that he could easily add the gas to ignite it so thought about his words and softened his posture.

"He didn't though, I've never known anyone to get hurt from being pushed in a pool." Nathan said calmly.

"I could have hurt his chest! He could have hit his head on the side! There's any number of things that could have happened!" Zoë said as she put her head back in her hands after stuffing the tissue up her sleeve.

"But you didn't, Zoë. Stop dwelling on what could have happened and think about what did happen, the worst he got was getting wet! Zoë, you can't beat yourself up about this, it wasn't you sweet. He knows that! He doesn't blame you at all, neither do I! I've heard and seen people say a lot worse things than that Zoë, you aren't to blame. He might be struggling and stressed, but he knows it's not your fault." Nathan said calmly.

"I don't want to say any more hurtful things though! I don't want to lay a finger on him, don't you understand that? It's killing me inside because I'm terrified of hurting him. He's the best thing in my entire life, Nathan. He's the first person to make me this happy and this comfortable with who I am, I can't lose him, I don't want to hurt him in any way. If I go back to that dream world, I can't hurt him so he'd be happy and I'd be happy because I'd be back in my perfect world." She cried.

"Don't think like that Zoë. You have to grow up and face reality, I know that it's tempting to take the easy way out, but you're not a coward, you're a strong woman. You won't lose him, he loves you and he'll stick with you through everything, Zoë. He's trying to help you, Zoë. He'll stick through the good and the bad with you, just like you'd stick through the good and bad with him. He's doing his best to help you and you're pushing him away again Zoë. You need to let him help you, him climbing into the guest bed with you is his way of trying to comfort you, he needs to know you're okay if he's to feel okay. I've seen what you two have and it's beautiful Zoë, I've never seen two people so dedicated to each other, I've never seen so much love and affection between two people. You need to trust me Zoë, you're not going to hurt him. You just need to let him in, you need to let him help you, running away from him and pushing him away is not going to do you any good. You remember the last time you pushed him away, you got yourself into a rut that you couldn't get out of. You need to stick your finger out and do something about it before it gets that bad again. I know you've not had a perfect life and I understand that what you've been through has probably taught you to run from situations you don't like rather than face them, but you've got to trust those around you, you've got to trust Horatio because he only has your best interests at heart, just like me, just like Alexx." Nathan said as he rubbed her arm and she looked up at him as she swallowed. She furrowed her eyebrows and then nodded, silently.

"Have you taken that all in?" Nathan asked warmly and she nodded as she rolled her lips together lightly for a moment.

"I need to talk to Horatio, I need to stop pushing him away." She murmured quietly as she looked down. He quickly placed his index finger under her chin and lifted it lightly as he nodded.

"Look, I'm going to admit you tomorrow, I want you on my ward for a couple of days to give Horatio a bit of a rest too. I can't have you walking around the streets of Miami naked, Zoë. You put yourself in real danger tonight, I can't have that." Nathan exhaled softly and she nodded at him as she began to play with her fingers again as he dropped his hand from her chin. "This could be your full recovery in sight though, things often get worse before they get better." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she began to play with the sleeves of the navy blue hoody.

"I just can't understand how and why I'd say such things." She whispered as she looked down.

"Please believe me when I say this, it's not you saying those things Zoë. It's the brain injury talking. Please listen to me sweet." Nathan begged her and she swallowed as she took a deep breath.

"It really wasn't me saying those things to Horatio?" She asked and Nathan nodded as she looked up at him. "What were you doing out at 1.30am?" She questioned and Nathan gave her a small smile as he removed his hand from her arm.

"I was on my way back from work; I stayed late to get some work done and I had a difficult case that I couldn't put down." He said softly and she nodded as she looked back down.

"I've never really sworn at Horatio before though, he hates bad language. The sorts of things that has come out of my mouth lately is horrible, I can't believe I've said some of the things that have come out." She said as she began to play with the bottom of the jogging bottoms.

"Exactly sweet, it isn't you talking or swearing." He repeated again, trying to drill it into her head because she simply wasn't getting it.

"What if he hates me Nathan? My life would be over." She said as she looked at him and stopped playing with the jogging bottoms.

"He won't hate you sweet, he'll never hate you." Nathan assured her confidently.

"How do you know he doesn't hate me?" She questioned as she furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"Because he climbed into bed with you earlier, that doesn't sound like a man that hates you. Anyway, Horatio wouldn't ever hate you, he couldn't ever hate you. You know Horatio better than anyone, Zoë." Nathan said softly and she thought to herself, he could see her thinking. "He loves you sweet and he wants to help you through this. You love him too and you need to let him help you, you can't do this alone." He said softly and Zoë eventually nodded after quickly wiping her nose with a tissue.

"Thank you Nathan, you're an absolute angel." She said as she moved closer and then hugged him. He smiled lightly, tiredly, happy he could be of some help.

"Do you want a drink? Hot chocolate?" He asked and she nodded with a smile as they pulled from the hug.

"Okay sweet, then I'll take you back home, okay?" He asked and she nodded with a gentle expression. She walked out to the kitchen with him as he made the hot chocolate. She studied his kitchen more, it was probably the most decorated room in the house. The theme seemed to be black and silver, simple yet classy. The rest of the house seemed to be plain cream except for the brown leather sofa and chair set in the front room, with the dark brown coffee table and dark brown mantel piece over the fire.

"You both need to learn to ask for help when you need it, I told Horatio to call me if he was struggling." Nathan said softly as he picked up both mugs and looked at her with a gentle, compassionate smile. '_Who am I kidding? I knew Horatio wouldn't ask for help. Neither of them ever do, they're too stubborn.'_ Nathan thought to himself as they slowly made their way back into the brightly lit living room.

"I'd be surprised if he wants me back, Nathan." She mumbled as she looked down at the cream carpet.

"Stop being so negative, please Zoë. That's not true and you know it." Nathan said softly before he sat down and looked up at her with a gentle expression. She then sat down and then took the mug from him. She placed it in her lap as she held it with two hands as she looked up into his eyes, seeing that he meant what he was saying.

"But he's too good for me Nathan, he's the perfect man, I'm the most imperfect woman on this planet." She said quietly as she looked away and over to the fireplace. She studied the 7 unburned logs of wood stacked neatly, it was probably for show. Nathan sat forwards and held his coffee in one hand as he placed his elbows on his knees. He looked over to her as she glanced to him and then got trapped in his intense eyes.

"I bet Horatio's said this before, stop putting yourself down. You're not imperfect, you're not an idiot and you're not a bitch. No-one is perfect, Zoë, if we were all perfect then what would there be to separate us from the next human being?" Nathan questioned and she shrugged as she managed to break free from his eye contact and looked down at the coffee table.

"Horatio's perfect though." She whispered.

"You're perfect in his eyes too, he's said it before and he'll say it again." Nathan said softly and she looked up at him with a mild frown.

"I hear what he says to you in the hospital sometimes." Nathan said quietly as he looked down this time.

"I'm not perfect though." She said quietly. He exhaled and closed his eyes for a brief second; he knew she genuinely believed what she was saying.

He sat up straight and looked her straight in the eye. "You are in his eyes, Zoë. You're smart, you're beautiful, you have a wonderful personality, you're compassionate, you're strong, you're assertive, you're determined and motivated. That's not just me saying that, that is everyone who's ever met you. You've got a lot going for you Zoë, you may not have had the best life, you may not have had the best luck, but you're a wonderful person. Everyone has their story, yours may be a little darker, but you've certainly got a lot more light in your recent story than many others sweet. I think the bad picture of yourself stems from your childhood, I think you need to listen to Horatio and believe what he tells you because I'm sure he's always giving you compliments." Nathan said softly and she looked up at him. She slowly nodded as her eyes welled slightly, she saw that he was being truthful with her, she heard the conviction in his words and began to believe him.

"You're such a sweetie." She said as she reached over and hugged him lightly as she composed herself. He pulled back after a few moments and gave her a genuine smile, happy to see a small smile on her lips for the first time that evening. "He does give me compliments, he gives me lots of compliments, but I don't always believe him. I've always been that way and I know that my self-image is bad because of my childhood, but I'm better than I was. I used to argue with people when they tried complimenting me, now I'm able to accept what Horatio tells me sometimes." She said softly and Nathan nodded as he sipped his tea.

"Drink up, I'll get you home soon; if Horatio wakes he'll go crazy." Nathan said softly and she nodded and took a few large gulps of the perfectly made hot chocolate. '_I've got to get myself one of those machines, they do tea, coffee and hot chocolate!'_ She thought to herself.

"I'm just going to get my thermometer, okay? I just want to make sure you're warm enough." Nathan said softly and she nodded.

"It better be a thermometer for the ear or mouth…" She said sarcastically as she raised an eyebrow at him. He began to lightly laugh as he nodded.

"Believe me, it's an ear thermometer." Nathan said as he smiled widely at her, happy to hear her sense of humour back and her cheekiness. He left and then came back with a few bandages too. He sat down beside her and placed the thermometer in her ear while she sipped the hot chocolate again.

"36.7, that's okay. I'm also going to change this bandage okay? It's still wet." Nathan said softly and Zoë nodded as she handed him her right hand. She watched him unravel the wet bandage and saw him sling it into a bin at the back of the room.

"You have a sister too?" Zoë asked warmly as she looked back up to him and studied his concentrating eyes as he nodded and he ran an antiseptic wipe over her palm and fingers.

"An older sister, she's a right handful sometimes, but I wouldn't change her for the world." Nathan said softly as he looked up at her with a bright smile. She smiled sweetly at him and nodded herself as she began to bite her lip.

"What's her name?" Zoë asked softly as Nathan threw the wipe into the bin and allowed her hand to dry.

"Sophie, she's married though, so she's not Sophie Taylor, she's Sophie Points." Nathan said softly and Zoë's smile became more natural as she relaxed a little.

"Sophie is a beautiful name." Zoë said softly and Nathan smiled sweetly at her before he looked back down to her hand and then massaged some cream into her palm and fingers.

"What does she do?" Zoë asked softly as she looked back down to her hand to watch what Nathan was doing.

"She's a paediatrician, a good one at that." Nathan said softly and Zoë looked back up at him.

"Does she work at your hospital?" Zoë asked and Nathan nodded as he picked up the bandage and began to wrap her hand.

"We used to fight all the time as children, but now we all get on like a house on fire." Nathan smiled as he concentrated on her hand before he ripped off a few inches of surgical tape to hold the bandage in place.

"You'll have to introduce us; I could do with knowing a paediatrician for when we have children, I know Horatio would want to as well." Zoë smiled softly.

"Of course" he smiled naturally as he looked up at her as he picked up a tub of cream. "Take this, apply it 2 or 3 times a day, it'll work wonders with the scarring. It's expensive stuff, so don't go wasting it on your face thinking it's a good moisturiser." Nathan said warmly and she nodded as she gently took it from him.

"Thank you. You'll always be our number 1 doctor though." She smiled softly and Nathan chuckled smoothly as he looked down for a moment, thinking to himself as he tapped at his mug before it took a couple of sips.

"May I ask you something personal?" Nathan asked as he sat back and looked up at her and she nodded with a sweet smile. "Have you two got intimate since getting back from hospital?" Nathan asked softly and she shook her head and Nathan nodded. He could see that she was slightly embarrassed as she looked down to the loose knot in his tie. "That could be one of the problems feeding these outbursts, you might be needing intimacy with him, and he with you. It'll definitely help with some frustration you both may be experiencing." Nathan said softly.

"I tried being intimate but he said I was too rough, I then had an outburst because he said I was too rough and I stormed out. We were also in bed the other night and I asked if he wanted intimacy because I wasn't sure if he wanted it or not, I thought it was best to ask. I wasn't sure if he was close for comfort or for intimacy but he said just because he was close doesn't mean that he wants intimacy. I am still a little confused. I still don't know if he wanted intimacy or not." She said honestly and Nathan nodded and pressed his lips into a hard line while he thought to himself for a few seconds.

"I think all 3 of us need a little talk tomorrow, is that okay?" He asked softly and she nodded as she took a deep breath and looked down. "Zoë, have you hit your head again?" He asked softly as he lifted her head once more after putting his tea down. He frowned as he studied the redness and slight swelling around the area of her fracture.

"I tried to jump a fence earlier and head-butted it instead." She said softly and Nathan nodded as he released her head. She studied his slightly concerned facial expression and eyes.

"I'm just going to feel, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded. He felt her head but felt nothing worrying, just a small lump on her forehead. His concerned expression disappeared as he looked at her sweetly and then finished his tea.

"Okay sweet, I'm just going to put this stuff back and quickly go to the loo, I'll be back in a moment though." He said softly and Zoë nodded as she glanced down to the extra bandages and small first aid kit. Nathan didn't return as he accidently fell asleep on his bed, Zoë also fell asleep on the sofa.

Nathan's phone rang loudly the next morning and he jumped awake. He blinked a few times and then pulled his phone from his pocket as it vibrated against his thigh.

"Hello?" He answered his phone tiredly and unsure of who it was as he sat up and ran a hand through his hair, he looked down and realised he was still in his suit as he slept horizontally across his double bed. '_Wow, I must've been tired.'_ He thought to himself.

"Nathan? It's Horatio, Zoë's gone, I can't find her, Joe doesn't know where she is. We had a difficult day yesterday, I was going to call you this morning anyway because I was struggling to keep up with her. Now she's gone, I don't know where, her phone is here, her inhalers are here, she's just gone. She wasn't wearing anything Nathan." Horatio panicked on the phone and Nathan blinked rapidly and then remembered that Zoë was at his and probably still downstairs on the sofa.

"Woah, Horatio calm down, she's at mine. I found her walking in the middle of the road last night, I was going to bring her back after I'd made sure she was okay but I fell asleep on my bed." He said as he quickly got up and rushed downstairs.

"Thank you Nathan, I've been out looking for her for the past hour. I checked all the local hospitals, all public areas. I've been going crazy." Horatio exhaled as he rubbed his eyes at the wheel. He suddenly relaxed in his seat from his constant tense posture. Nathan entered the living room and saw Zoë sprawled across the sofa, sleeping very peacefully.

"She's asleep on my sofa, I'll wake her and I'll bring her over to yours after I've had a shower, is that okay? I haven't even changed out of what I was wearing yesterday." He said tiredly as he rubbed his eyes once more and then looked at his watch – 6AM. '_4 hours sleep, just another day.'_ He thought to himself with a sigh as he turned back around and made his way to his stairs.

"Is she okay? What was she doing?" Horatio questioned and Nathan could hear the relief in his voice.

"She's fine, I think I've managed to help her see the light at the end of the path so to speak, but I need to talk with the both of you. I'll be over with her in 20 minutes." Nathan said softly as he tiredly climbed the stairs, needing a coffee to give him that morning boost.

"Thank you Nathan." Horatio said softly as he exhaled.

"No problem Horatio, don't panic. We'll be there in 20." He said softly and they then hung up. Horatio quickly informed both Joe and Eric that Zoë was safe and with Nathan. Nathan had his shower and then woke Zoë. She had a bit of a strop about him waking her but she soon calmed down once he gave her space and downed a quick cup of coffee.

He walked back into the living room to see that she'd calmed down considerably. "I'm sorry sweet, I fell asleep upstairs, you fell asleep here. Horatio was worried sick, I'm going to take you back now, is that okay?" He asked and she nodded as she got up with a gentle smile as she ran a hand through her hair. She walked out to his car with him and then climbed in.

"Are you sure he's not going to hate me?" Zoë questioned as they put their seatbelts on.

"I'm sure sweet, don't worry about it. We're all going to have a small talk and then we'll go over to the hospital, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded, silently. He made sure she was buckled in to the seat and then pulled off the drive.

"You have a lovely house by the way." Zoë said softly as he pulled onto the road and drove off.

"Thank you, I much prefer yours though, so open and light." He smiled and Zoë smiled at him and nodded as she began to bite her lip again as she fiddled with the sleeves of the oversized hoody.

"I prefer open plan places. I don't really like old dark houses. I like the place to be light." She said softly as she looked down at her hands. He could tell that she was beginning to grow anxious and nervous.

"Zoë don't worry, this is all going to be fine, we'll get this situation sorted and under control." He assured her and she nodded, silently. He then left her be after as he knew he'd push her if he tried to convince her that it would all be alright. He could see the small innocent flame in her eyes and knew that only a small spark was needed to cause a fiery explosion. Nathan pulled up outside Zoë's and opened her door for her after he told her to wait in the car in case she opened the door when a car was coming her side. He walked up the path with her when the front door opened and Horatio quickly rushed out. Nathan could see he was worried sick, he was desperate and highly stressed.

"Sweetheart, please don't ever do that to me again. Please." Horatio begged as he engulfed her in a warm hug and rubbed her back. He pushed his nose into her hair and then kissed her hair lightly. He began to nuzzle at her hair as his heart beat wildly.

"I'm so sorry Horatio." She said as she burst into tears again and took two fistfuls of his shirt. He pulled back slightly and placed his hands on her upper arms as his eyes darted around her face to see if there was anything else wrong. But she just seemed upset so he moved his hands to the sides of her head and placed his thumbs against the side of her nose.

"It's okay, it's okay beautiful, you just panicked me, there's no need to cry." He said softly as he swept his thumbs outwards, over her cheek bones to collect the tears.

"Thank you Nathan." Horatio said as he looked at him and Nathan gave him a nod with a gentle smile.

"I think we all need to talk, and then we'll go back to the hospital as Zoë's agreed to be admitted back under my care." Nathan said softly and Horatio looked at Zoë, surprised.

She nodded at him when he didn't believe what Nathan was saying. "I can't do this to you Horatio." She said as she tried her hardest to keep the tears from falling again as she placed her hands on his biceps and looked up at him.

"Come in." Horatio said as he wrapped his arm around her lower back and walked in with her. Nathan followed them in as he put his hands in his pockets. He smiled down at the floor as he walked in as he was happy to witness them be reunited after Horatio panicked so much.

"Do you want a drink, Nathan?" Horatio questioned and Nathan shook his head, feeling slightly nauseous after downing his coffee as quickly as he did.

"Thank you though." He said and Horatio nodded and then looked to Zoë and she shook her head. They walked into the living room and Zoë sat next to Horatio and both turned to each other automatically.

"Do you hate me?" She questioned as she began to play with the sleeves once more.

"No, not at all sweetheart, I'll never hate you." He said as he threaded his right hand through her hair and then pulled her hands apart with his left as he took hold of both of them with one hand and gave her a gentle smile.

"Are you disappointed in me?" She asked as she looked into his eyes for the truth. But she saw something she didn't expect, she saw his disagreement, she saw that he was slightly confused by the question and that told her that he wasn't disappointed at all, but she needed to hear it come from his mouth, in his words.

"No sweetheart, I'm never disappointed in you, I've not felt disappointment since I first met you. I heard you last night talking to David, I know you don't want me to forgive you, but I do Zoë. It wasn't your fault; I understand that it wasn't you talking, you shouting. I don't blame you for any of this sweetheart. I shouldn't have took hold of your wrists either, so don't blame yourself for putting me in the pool. Whatever came out of your mouth last night went in one ear and then straight out the other, I know you'd never do anything like that. I know you'd never say anything like that. It's the brain injury talking Zoë. Please don't blame yourself and tell yourself that you're a horrible person because you're not. I love you so much Zoë, I thought you'd walked out on me when I woke this morning. I was so scared Zoë, I was scared and worried about you. You mean everything to me, you always will. Please don't push me away Zoë, I want to help you, I need to help you." Horatio said as he stroked her cheeks lightly and looked into her eyes. He could see that her eyes brightened up, he could see that she finally believed him as she exhaled and pushed her tears back.

"Oh Horatio, I love you so much. I don't want to hurt you and I'd never walk out on you." She said as she hugged him.

"You won't hurt me Zoë, I promise you." He said softly and she looked up at him as then pulled from the hug as he took both of her hands in his and gave her a warm expression.

"Nathan tried telling me all of that last night, but I believe it now I've heard you say it. But I'm so sorry, I've never been so sorry in my life." Zoë said as she looked up into his eyes.

"I love you beautiful, I will stand by you through everything we face." He assured her and she smiled up at him and then placed her left hand palm against his cheek.

"What would I ever do without you? I really wouldn't be on this Earth any longer if it wasn't for you." She said as she hugged him again and he pulled her over and onto his lap as he lovingly nuzzled her.

"What would I do without you Zoë? I think we both need each other to stay on this Earth." Horatio said softly and she looked up at him and then placed a loving kiss on his lips.

"I told you sweet." Nathan said softly once they'd finished.

"Thank you Nathan." She said as she looked round to him with a sweet expression.

"Horatio, Zoë and I have already spoken about this. You may find it a little uncomfortable to talk about with me and I understand that. But she's told me that she tried to be intimate with you yesterday or sometime, but she was too rough, is this correct?" Nathan asked as he sat down on the edge of the sofa as they both turned to face him and Horatio nodded.

"What did you do to try stop her being so rough?" Nathan asked softly as he tilted his head, trying to act natural about the situation so Horatio didn't feel embarrassed by it. He knew Zoë was perfectly comfortable talking about intimacy, but Horatio shied away whenever it was discussed with anyone but Zoë around.

"I gently pushed her hips away and calmly said that she was being too rough, but I'd happily kiss her if she was a little more gentle." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded as he glanced to Zoë before focussing back on Horatio.

"Did that set Zoë off?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded with a swallow. "Okay… what about the other night? Zoë told me that she was confused as she didn't know if you wanted intimacy or not and that you gave her a confusing answer when she asked. You need to be clear in your intentions, even spell it out simply." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he wrapped both arms around Zoë's waist and glanced up at her, feeling bad for confusing her.

"I did I think, I said that I didn't need intimacy, I was happy just laying with her." Horatio said softly as he looked back to Nathan and Nathan nodded.

"That's quite confusing in Zoë's eyes, she needs a yes or no answer, be blunt. It's good if she asks you if you want intimacy, it's showing that she's trying to recognise the signs." Nathan said softly and stopped talking when he saw that Horatio wanted to speak.

"Zoë seems to be getting them the wrong way around, earlier that evening I tried to get intimate, but she pushed me away unknowingly, which I don't blame her for, that's fine. But when I just wanted to lay with her in bed, and feel her close to me she took that as intimacy." Horatio said softly and Nathan nodded and then paused as he ran a finger over his chin and studied Zoë briefly.

"You two need more communication in that case–" Nathan began.

"I did communicate it, I suggested that we went to bed early, that usually always means intimacy unless either one of us is unwell and in need of rest." Horatio said softly cutting Nathan off as he didn't want to hear the things he already knew. Zoë looked from Nathan to Horatio as they took turns to speak.

"Things have changed, Zoë may not be assuming that an early night means intimacy, if you don't mind me asking, what did you do to try and signal it?" Nathan asked softly and Horatio flushed bright red as he looked down at his hands as they rested clasped in Zoë's lap. "You can talk to me Horatio, I've heard it all before, believe me." Nathan said softly and Zoë looked to Horatio, curious herself.

Horatio took a deep breath and thought to himself about how he was going to word it. "She was sat between my legs, like usual, I lightly rubbed her thighs and kissed her neck whilst I suggested that we go upstairs." Horatio looked down at the floor embarrassed.

"Okay, Zoë, do you understand that those are signs means intimacy?" Nathan asked and she looked to him as she raised her eyebrows and placed her hands over Horatio's.

"Er, yeah?" She said unsure of herself as she looked down to her hands.

"Zoë, do you really understand that?" Nathan asked and she shrugged as she looked back up at him.

"I mean, you say it and I think yeah, that means intimacy, but at the time I didn't know. I remember you doing that, I remember pushing you away. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." Zoë said as she looked from Nathan to Horatio and Horatio nodded with a gentle smile, he didn't blame her at all.

"It's okay sweetheart, if you didn't want intimacy that's perfectly fine." Horatio said softly as he unclasped his hands and placed one against her stomach and the other over one of her hands on her thigh.

"I always want to be intimate with you though." She said with a small smile and a small smile developed across Horatio's face as he looked down. He stifled a small chuckle as he lightly rubbed her hand, amused.

"I think we've just jumped the first hurdle, a lot of patients will recognise the signs once they've been pointed out. I think the lack of intimacy has spurred on these outbursts, but I also think that they're getting worse because Zoë's recovering more. I said that they could get worse before they get better, and I think that is exactly what is happening here. But I'd like Zoë to come to the hospital with me, so you both can relax and not get into a situation like yesterday evening." Nathan said softly and they nodded, agreeing with gentle expressions.

"Do you want to go and get a few things?" Nathan asked Zoe softly and she heavily exhaled as her facial expression changed within a matter of seconds as she glared up at him.

"Stop telling me what to do!" She raised her voice as she pushed Horatio's hand from her body and stormed out. "Leave me alone." She said firmly as she walked out and up the stairs and Horatio looked to Nathan. Nathan could see the stress in Horatio's eyes already building.

"I just never know if she's going to flip whenever I speak, I think that's one of the most stressful parts about it. She can just turn in the click of your fingers." Horatio sighed and Nathan nodded as he looked at Horatio sympathetically. He knew Horatio had done well to get that far with her though.

"I know Horatio, she's trying her hardest though; she's removed herself from the living room. That shows us that she's trying her best. It shows us that she doesn't want to be shouting and stressing at us." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he sat back and looked down at the coffee table.

"I don't want to see her struggle though. She hates herself after these, actually, that's the hardest thing about all of this. To see her belittle herself and say the things she does say about herself and believe them, that's hurtful. She can say what she wants to me, but when she directs the insults at herself, that's what gets to me." Horatio said honestly and Nathan nodded, completely understanding Horatio. He found it hard to hear her say bad things about herself, let alone how Horatio felt when he thought the world of her. They both turned to look out of the living room when they heard something land at the bottom of the stairs. They both sighed as they got up, it sounded like clothes. Horatio already knew what she was doing while Nathan was curious. Horatio picked up the clothes she had been wearing and studied them, not recognising them.

"They're mine, she was just wearing your boxers last night." Nathan said softly and Horatio handed the clothes to him and then heard the bedroom door slam.

"Let me try and handle this." Horatio sighed softly as Nathan folded the clothes.

"Give her a few minutes." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as Nathan put the folded clothes on the table beside the front door so he didn't forget them. They began to make their way back into the living room before they stopped in their tracks. They then both looked up the stairs after they walked over to the bottom of them when they heard a loud noise.

"I'm not giving her a few minutes, she could hurt herself." Horatio said as he began to rush up the stairs.

"I agree." Nathan said as he rushed up after him. Horatio quickly opened the door to see her stepping out onto the balcony.

"Zoë, think about what you're doing." Horatio warned as he rushed over to her as she stepped out further. Horatio and Nathan glanced around and saw one of the draws in one of the chest of draws in half and they knew she'd kicked it. They quickly rushed onto the balcony and both froze when they saw her balancing on the railing, looking ready to jump. Their hearts leapt into their throats and began to pound wildly.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

They watched her leap through the air from the railing and both of their mouths fell open as they ran towards the railing, both of their hearts felt like they'd stopped beating.

"ZOE!" They both yelled as they both looked down to her lying on the hard concrete paving stones below the balcony. They backed off and then ran down the stairs and out just as their hearts pounded again. They both felt a massive surge of adrenaline shoot through their veins as they burst through the back door. They both briefly stopped a few meters from the back door when they felt an invisible wall hit them, both utterly shocked to see Zoë unmoving and seemingly lifeless.

Nathan swallowed and was first to make a move as he rushed over to her. "Horatio, get me blankets and your first aid kit now!" Nathan raised his voice as he crouched beside Zoë. Horatio quickly ran back in to collect the items. He could feel his entire body trembling. '_Did she do this on purpose? Did she do this to go back to the perfect dream? Or was she genuinely unable to control her actions? We were sorting it out! I don't need this, she doesn't need this.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he frantically looked around the house for what Nathan had asked for but any knowledge of where the items were had escaped his mind through sheer panic.

"Zoë, can you hear me sweet?" Nathan questioned as he bent down and looked at her placid face while he had taken a gentle hold of her wrist to get her pulse. He then let go of her wrist when he felt her strong steady heart beat and then placed the backs of his fingers by her mouth and nose to feel for her breathing. He paused for a few moments and studied her body.

"Zoë, I need you to breathe for me sweet." Nathan said loudly when he could see her body struggling to get the air she needed. He knew she'd winded herself and that her diaphragm was going into spasm, but she couldn't fight it as she was unconscious. He moved so his head was against the concrete so he could get a look in her eyes when he gently opened them with his thumb. He made sure to stay clear of her forehead, but had noticed that it had begun to swell considerably. Horatio ran back out with the blankets and her large first aid kit.

Nathan sat up, happy with the way her pupils were reacting. "That's your first aid kit?" Nathan questioned as he looked down at the large green bag.

"She's a first aider, Nathan." Horatio said frantically as he crouched by her head looking down at her with a worried frown.

"Okay, thank you. Stay calm Horatio, I need you to ring for an ambulance." Nathan said as he placed the blanket over her and then pulled her pulse oximeter and pen torch from the bag. He put the pulse oximeter on her finger and then looked into her eyes again as Horatio froze and watched Nathan check her out. He then slowly pulled the phone from his pocket and dialled for an ambulance just as Nathan sat back up. "She's out of it." Nathan sighed as he glanced up to Horatio. Nathan moved the blanket from her and very gently ran his fingers down her spine and neck. He then covered her back over.

"She's knocked herself out, oxygen sats are low, good pulse, possible neck and spinal injuries, query rib fractures and wrist fractures, query pelvis too." Nathan said as he looked up to Horatio as he ran his hands down her arms and legs. "Tell them that she has a skull fracture that has possibly worsened from a car crash a few weeks ago." Nathan said as he looked up to Horatio again and he nodded and then repeated Nathan's words on the phone as he watched Nathan continue to check her over.

"Don't touch her Horatio." Nathan said softly as Horatio reached down and went to run his fingers through her hair for comfort. Nathan took hold of her neck to keep it still just in case she tried to move if she woke up. Nathan silenced himself as he just looked down at Zoë, he watched her breathing improve very slightly. He listened to Horatio on the phone as he answered questions about Zoë. They could hear sirens in the distance a few minutes later.

"I need to go and stand out the front, are you okay with her?" Horatio asked and Nathan nodded as he looked up at Horatio. Horatio quickly rushed in and through the house to the front to wait for the ambulance.

"Come on sweet, wake up for me." Nathan said as he very gently stroked her forearm. He looked round when he heard two unfamiliar voices and Horatio's voices getting louder as they walked over to him.

"Zoë Chambers, 28, she's recently sustained a serious head injury in a car crash a couple of weeks ago, she's been suffering from serious outbursts and jumped from the balcony about 7 minutes ago. She's currently unconscious with a GCS of 4, her breathing is a little laboured and her oxygen sats are lower than I like. She has a skull fracture and I think she may have exacerbated it, her forehead is swelling again. She stuffers with asthma and a heart condition, she currently has a pacemaker. There's the potential for a neck or back injury, but I can't feel anything unusual. I've not moved her so I'm unsure if she's sustained any breaks or fractures to her ribs. I've checked her wrists, I'm unsure if they're fractured. I'm Doctor Nathan Taylor, I over see her treatment. She was discharged from hospital a couple of days ago." Nathan said softly and they nodded as they began to kneel the other side of Zoë.

"Thank you doctor, any query fractures to the legs or pelvis?" One of the paramedics asked as they crouched around her and glanced up to the balcony to judge how far she fell.

"I've briefly checked her legs and knees, I can't feel anything. I've been unable to check her pelvis." Nathan said softly and they nodded as they began to get their kit out.

"Okay, Zoë you're safe sugar, we're going to put some oxygen on you and then we're going to get you onto a spinal board, there's nothing to worry about." One of the paramedics said loudly. Nathan quickly got up and pulled the stethoscope from the first aid bag. He listened to Zoë's chest as the paramedics pulled the blanket from her to check her over again.

"She's been having trouble with dressing." Nathan said softly when he saw them frown slightly and they nodded at him and then began to check her over as they put an oxygen mask over her.

"Can you help roll?" One asked Nathan and he nodded. They quickly rolled her and Nathan then properly ran his hand down her spine. Horatio watched in horror as he placed his hands on his thighs, unsure what else he could do with them. All he wanted was to touch Zoë, all he needed to feel alright was to feel the squeeze of her hand. '_I should have called Nathan last night.'_ Horatio thought to himself, watching the 3 men man-handle Zoë in her unconscious state. His heart rate didn't calm at all, it was pounding away in his chest as his headache returned with revenge. Each pound of his heart sent a torrent of pulsating pain into his head, he felt added pressure with each beat of his heart. He watched them roll her onto the spinal board with a collar on before Nathan placed his hands on her hip bones.

"Be careful of her please! What are you doing?" Horatio asked frantically when Nathan pushed on her hips.

"Checking her pelvis Horatio, don't worry. It's not hurting her, it's a lot more gentle than it looks." Nathan said as he sat back, happy that she wasn't in any immediately danger other than her head injury.

"Her pelvis is stable, I'd like to stabilise her wrists though." He said and one of the paramedics nodded and then strapped them steady.

"Zoë, I need you to open your eyes for me sweet. It's Nathan." He said as he got a proper look in to her eyes. He sighed when he didn't get anything from her. He then removed her oxygen mask and checked her mouth.

"Why are you checking her mouth?" Horatio questioned as he leant forwards to try and see what Nathan was looking at.

"She could have knocked her teeth out and swallowed them or bit her tongue. I'm just checking Horatio." Nathan said as he sat back and placed the oxygen mask back over her mouth and nose. "She hasn't though so it's okay." Nathan said as the paramedics began to strap her to the board.

"Are you going in the ambulance Horatio, or are you going to drive? If you go in the ambulance, I'll drive." Nathan said softly. Horatio didn't know what to do, he looked from Zoë to Nathan and back repeatedly. He wanted Nathan in the ambulance in case she turned for the worst, but also didn't want to leave her. He opened his mouth but nothing came out as he looked back down at Zoë. Nathan could see that Horatio was absolutely distraught. He didn't like to see Zoë like that, so knew that Horatio absolutely hated it. He looked down to Horatio's hands and saw that he'd made fists to try and stop the light trembling.

"I'll drive Horatio, you go with her, you should be with her. Don't worry, the paramedics will take good care of her, I'll be on the ambulances tail so you don't have to worry." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded, glad the decision was made for him.

"Are you family?" The paramedics questioned as they looked up at Horatio to see his scared, affectionate eyes.

"Husband" he said quietly as he looked up at them and they nodded as he looked back down to Zoe. '_This isn't happening, is it? Why's this happening to her?'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Horatio, you're her fiancé, not husband yet." Nathan said to Horatio softly and Horatio looked round to him and then remembered as he swallowed. '_This wouldn't have happened if we were in our perfect world. Why did we have to wake up? She is right, it would be easier to go back… to see our daughters again.' _Horatio thought to himself as he stared down at Zoë, fighting his emotions.

"They were both involved in the crash just before their wedding, can have memory lapses and think that the wedding went ahead." Nathan said softly to fill the paramedics in as Horatio was going to be travelling with them just in case Horatio fed them false information by accident, thinking that they were back in the dream. Horatio exhaled, he knew it was the stress of the situation that was confusing the two worlds in his mind.

"Horatio, don't worry about it. It's an easy mistake. I'll see you at the hospital. Don't panic, she's stable." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded. Horatio opened the back door for them as the paramedics and Nathan carried her through the house on the spinal board, covered in blankets. He then quickly hopped into the ambulance after pulling his shoes on. Nathan quickly pulled off in the car just as they closed the doors of the ambulance and began to attach the ECG to her. Horatio watched intensely, studying everything that was going on. He took note of the numbers on the monitors and where they were putting the leads – just generally what they were doing with Zoë. His heart rate had calmed down, but he could feel it beating hard in his chest. He could feel his palms sweat as a wave of heat descended on his body. His mouth had dried up as he watched them cover Zoë with the blanket again. He clasped his hands while he leant forwards and looked at Zoë's placid facial expression. For once he didn't want to see her placid, he wanted to see her shouting, he wanted to see her causing a scene, he wanted her to create an argument with the paramedics because then he'd know she'd be alright.

"She'll be okay, I suspect that she'll have to have a few scans, but her pupils are reacting well so I don't think she's done any damage to her brain." One of the paramedics said as he reached over and began to feel her stomach. Horatio nodded silently and watched him check her over thoroughly, he wanted to hold her hand but her hands were strapped up along with her wrists. He just wanted to feel her skin, to know everything was going to be alright.

"You can sit at her head if you want." The paramedic said when he saw Horatio itching to have some contact with her. Horatio quickly moved and then began to stroke her cheeks. He exhaled and looked down at the floor of the ambulance, overwhelmed by the sensation of her soft skin beneath his worried hands. He looked back up at her and then ran the backs of his knuckles over the left side of her forehead before moving his hands back to her cheeks as he bent down.

He placed his lips against the left side of her forehead as he closed his eyes. "Come on sweetheart, wake up for me please?" Horatio asked softly with his lips lightly moving over her silky skin. He looked up when he heard the beeping of the ECG monitor speed up slightly, indicating that her heart rate rose a little. He looked over to the paramedic, wanting to be reassured that the increase in her heart rate was fine.

"Keep talking to her, I think she's coming around." The paramedic said softly as he sat back in the seat to the side of Zoë while he looked up at Horatio. The other paramedic had jumped into the front of the ambulance and quickly pulled off.

Horatio looked back down to Zoë as he let his thumbs wander her cheeks. "You're doing really well Zoë, I'm here, don't worry beautiful." Horatio said as he leant over and closer to her face. '_Please just open your eyes, Zoë. I need to see those sparkling brown eyes.'_ He thought to himself as he exhaled softly while his eyes darted around her face constantly, looking for any sign that she may be waking. "I love you beautiful, I'm right here with you, don't you worry." He said softly and her eyes began to flutter as she tried moving her head and arms. Horatio swallowed and saw her beginning to move slowly. His heart skipped beats as it fluttered uncontrollably in his chest. He listened to the light groan that escaped her throat and took a deep breath as he began to worry that she was in a lot of pain, he knew by the sound of the increased beeping that she was becoming stressed. "Zoë, try and keep calm beautiful, you're strapped to a spinal board right now, you jumped from the balcony and have hurt yourself. Try and stay still sweetheart, I've got you." Horatio said softly before he placed a light kiss on the left side of her forehead.

"Horatio" she cried quietly as a tear fell from her left eye. He quickly wiped it away with his thumb and placed another light kiss on her forehead. He ran his thumbs over her cheeks constantly, each matching the movement of the other.

"I'm right here sweetheart, I'm right here." Horatio said and she raised her right arm and tried to take hold of him but couldn't as her hand and wrist were strapped up too. He took hold of her forearm to give her some contact as she rested her wrist on his shoulder. "Stay calm sweetheart, you're safe, you're okay." He assured her as he continued to stroke her cheek when tears began to fall from the corners of her eyes more rapidly. Her breathing became a little more erratic and shallow as she tried to move more but could feel herself restrained.

"Are you in pain Zoë?" Horatio asked and she nodded as more tears fell. Horatio tried catching them before they left the corners of her eyes but they were forming too quick. His heart broke with each tear that fell from her eyes. He hated to see her upset, and hated to see her in pain more so.

"Try not to move your head Zoë. I'm Mic, I'm a paramedic. Can you tell me where you're hurting?" He asked loudly and clearly as he placed his hand on her shoulder and stood over her.

"Horatio" she cried again as she tried moving her head.

"I'm here sweetheart. Try not to worry." Horatio said warmly as he concentrated on her distressed face, becoming increasingly distressed himself.

"Zoë, I'm going to put a cannula in the back of your hand okay, I'm going to give you some morphine. It's not going to hurt." Mic said clearly as he reached up to one of the cupboards above the bed to pull out a butterfly cannula.

"Horatio!" She cried desperately as she shook her head as her breathing accelerated.

"She doesn't want the morphine." Horatio said as he looked up at Mic as he looked back to Horatio with the cannula in its sterile packet.

"Zoë, you're in pain, the morphine will help. It's not going to hurt, you'll feel a slight pinch, but it won't hurt. I know that from your medical history that you will have had plenty of needles and cannulas before, you know it doesn't hurt." The paramedic said softly and she shook her head again and moaned loudly, very distressed as her tears formed a constant river. Horatio briefly closed his eyes to try and calm himself. He could feel his headache spreading to his sinuses, causing what felt like more pressure.

"Zoë, please have some morphine sweetheart, I don't want to see you in pain." Horatio said softly and she began to cry a little louder and she shook her head.

"I'll only give you enough to take the edge off the pain, is that okay? It's not going to send you to sleep, I won't give you much." The paramedic assured her as he got the cannula out of the packet and sat back down, ready to put it in her hand, but he needed her permission first.

"Horatio" she cried out again.

"Please Zoë, have the morphine. I'm right here with you, you're safe sweetheart. I can't bear to see you in pain Zo." Horatio said as he stroked her cheek and she then nodded as she took a few deep breaths. He quickly took her left hand and then gently inserted the cannula before he pushed a syringe full of saline into the cannula to check it was in place in her vein. He then picked up the syringe he'd put the morphine in and gently pushed it into the cannula, gently easing it into her blood stream.

He then quickly closed the cap on the cannula and properly taped it in place before fiddling about with the two empty syringes. "You're going to feel a little better in a moment Zoë." Mic said softly and she opened her eyes and looked up to Horatio with a furrowed brow.

"Hey beautiful" he said softly as he wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. His eyes skipped from her right to her left, taking in both bright beautiful eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile as his thumb skated down her nose from her forehead and over one of her cheek bones. "You're going to be alright, Nathan is seeing us at the hospital." Horatio said softly as he watched her face become pale. He saw her facial expression weaken and watched her eyes roll up as she lost consciousness. Horatio looked up at the paramedic, gravely concerned.

"She's just passed out, she's okay." The paramedic said softly as his gaze met Horatio's. Horatio caught her arm as he fell and then placed it down by her side gently.

"You said the morphine wouldn't knock her out." Horatio said firmly as his eyes hardened on the paramedic. The paramedic had got up and began to check Zoë over again while he kept a very close eye on her obs.

"It's not the morphine; that was nowhere near enough to knock her out." The paramedic assured Horatio softly and Horatio's facial expression softened on the paramedic before he looked down to Zoë as she lay unconscious beneath his hands.

"Is her pacemaker still in place?" Horatio questioned and the paramedic nodded while he listened to her chest.

"Where is her pacemaker located?" Mic asked when he couldn't locate the pacemaker on the top left-hand side of her chest, above her breast.

"Left side of her ribcage" Horatio replied and the paramedic nodded as he moved his hand to the location and felt the pacemaker.

"It's fine, it's all still in place." He said softly and Horatio nodded as he exhaled, relieved. He didn't want her to have to go through another procedure with everything else going on.

"Why isn't she coming back around if she just passed out?" Horatio questioned as he looked back up at the paramedic, needing answers.

"I'm not sure." The paramedic said as he shone the light into her eyes again as he pressed his lips together, becoming more concerned. The paramedic took her pulse and she began to come around again, releasing the tension both Horatio and the paramedic had. Mic sat back down and took note of the occurrence.

She opened her eyes and looked up at Horatio as he leant in close again. "You're okay sweetheart, you just passed out. I've got you." Horatio said softly as he continued to stroke her cheek. He could see that she was a lot more relaxed now. She took a few deep breaths, letting her eyes search his tired, distressed facial expression. She could see that she'd worried him sick, quite literally. He felt a wave of nausea caused by the headache and stress. Horatio quickly looked away when the nausea intensified to the point where he retched. The paramedic looked over to Horatio and saw that he had become very pale and clammy. He quickly got up and picked up a sick back and held it below Horatio's chin just in time. Horatio's head exploded through his head, it even caused his eyes to hurt each time his stomach muscles tensed to force vomit up and out.

"Zoë, stay calm sugar, your husband is okay." The paramedic assured Zoë when she began to panic more.

"I'm good Zoë, don't you worry sweetheart." Horatio assured her before he threw up once more. Horatio took a few deep, heavy breaths once he was finished. He felt his head pound but he no longer felt intensely nauseous. His hands lightly shook as he took another deep breath while the paramedic took the bag off him and handed him some tissues.

"Sir, I know this is stressful, but you need to try and remain calm." The paramedic said warmly as he could see just how stressed and frustrated Horatio was and knew that was why he'd just been sick.

"I'm sorry, I'm an idiot. I'm so sorry for jumping off that balcony. I didn't mean to make you unwell Horatio." She whispered dryly as her eyes locked onto his once he sat over her again having cleaned himself up and put a couple of mints in his mouth.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart, as long as you're okay, that's all that matters. It wasn't your fault that I was sick, I'm fine." Horatio said softly as he bent over closer and kissed her cheek as she closed her eyes briefly. She felt his lips make contact with her cheek and she relaxed further. She knew everything was going to be alright the second his lips touched her cheek. Horatio swallowed as he moved his head a little so his nose made contact with hers.

"I don't understand why I'd do such a thing, or how I could do that to you. I told you I'd hurt you." She whispered and he heard the break in her voice as well as the slightly slurred tone that was becoming more pronounced. He pulled back slightly so he could look back into her eyes and assure her that everything was fine again. He ran his knuckles over her soft cheeks with both hands as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"You didn't hurt me Zoë, I am and was just worried about you, you know I always worry any way. It wasn't you that decided to jump, Zoë, you know the brain injury is making you say and do things that you'd never do." Horatio said warmly, assuring her.

"I don't want to act like this Horatio, I want to go back to before the crash, before life became difficult again." She begged him and he nodded, agreeing. He knew it was just as hard on her as it was on him. He was starting to have trouble understanding her because his headache was muffling her words anyway, but her increasing mumbling and slurring made it even more difficult.

"I know sweetheart, I know. Things will get better though. I promise you, things will get better." He said softly as he began to play with her hair. Mainly for his comfort, but he also knew she found it very comforting.

"I don't like this." She said very slurred as her eyes began to slowly move rather than fast movements.

"Don't like what sweetheart?" Horatio asked softly as he continued to play with her hair with one hand while the other gently coasted over her smooth cheeks.

"The drugs, take it back out please." She begged as she shook her head, she could feel herself losing control of her bodily movements as well as her normal fast mental function. She began to panic.

"I can't do that Zoë, I'm sorry. It's only taking the edge off the pain." Mic said softly as he reached over and placed a gentle hand on her forearm.

"I don't like it, Horatio do something please." She asked frantically as she looked up at him, he saw the sheer panic in her eyes and knew exactly why she was panicking.

"I can't sweetheart, you're okay though. You're safe, nothing bad is going to happen. I'm not going to leave your side, Zoë. It's only helping with the pain sweetheart, don't worry about it." Horatio said softly and she exhaled as she looked up at him. He saw her put her complete trust in him. "You're okay beautiful." He said softly as he leant down again and placed a loving kiss on her forehead as he closed his eyes for a moment, just gaining a bit of composure again.

"But I don't want it, I don't want the painkiller." She begged Horatio softly, wanting him to do something about it.

"I know you don't beautiful, but it's helping, okay? It's not doing anything bad, it's just taking the edge off the pain, don't worry. I'd rather see you slightly compromised due to painkillers than in pain, Zoë. It breaks my heart to see you in pain, you know it does." Horatio assured her and she exhaled and looked up and into his eyes and nodded.

She swallowed as her eyes slowly wandered from his eyes to the ceiling of the ambulance and back to him a few times. "I'm feeling fuzzy again." She slurred as she looked up at Horatio, calmly. But Horatio could see the small flame in her eyes, he didn't reply because he knew that she could flip at him, which is something he really didn't want. '_It's the calm before the storm.'_ He thought to himself, seeing her completely relaxed, but her eyes told him very differently.

"That'll be the morphine, don't worry Zoë." Mic said softly as he glanced up at her. Horatio swallowed. He saw the explosion in her eyes and sat back slightly to give her some personal space.

"You said only a little to take the edge off!" She raised her voice as she tried to turn her head and sit up, but was very well restrained.

"Any amount of morphine will make you feel a little fuzzy, Zoë. I gave you the smallest amount I could." He said softly as he looked up to Horatio and had noticed that Horatio had backed off slightly. The paramedic knew he'd set her off and realised why Horatio had kept quiet after she had spoken.

Horatio swallowed and sat forwards again, taking her concentration from the paramedic. He'd rather she shouted at him rather than the paramedic. "Focus on me sweetheart, he's just doing his job. We're nearly there." Horatio said softly and she looked back up to him. "You're okay Zoë." Horatio assured her and he watched her close her eyes for a brief second before she opened them with the fire decreasing rapidly as if he'd thrown water over the hot fire. '_Was that an outburst? She calmed when I spoke to her, didn't she? Or is that just a coincidence.'_ Horatio questioned as they pulled up. Nathan quickly pulled the ambulance doors open and hopped in and then got her out with Horatio following.

"It's good to see that you're awake sweet." Nathan said warmly as they took her through to resus due to the potential of a serious head injury again. "Try and stay calm for me sweet, I'm going to check you over." Nathan said as he drew the curtain as Horatio placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Take the painkiller out of me please." She begged him.

"I can't do that sweet, you know I can't. It'll wear off soon." He said softly and Zoë exhaled as she looked up to Horatio with soft eyes.

"Can I take this oxygen mask off now? My O2 sats are good now." She asked as she looked up at the monitor Nathan had her hooked up to. She then looked over to Nathan and he nodded with a gentle smile, happy to see her back to herself so soon after a serious accident. Horatio pulled the mask off with a small smile, also happy to see her trying to take some control over the situation. He knew then that she was going to be okay. "Can I have a kiss please?" She questioned and Horatio quickly bent over and placed a light kiss on her lips. He felt relieved to feel her soft lips beneath his once more, it put him right at ease, also easing the headache. "I'm so sorry." She said after they stopped kissing and looked up into his eyes and he could see that she was feeling terrible about it.

"Don't worry sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Zoë, I'm going to send you for a CT, they're going to scan your head, neck, chest and your wrists okay? You're going to be in there for a little longer than you usually would be, okay?" Nathan asked.

"Why?" Zoë questioned as she tried to look down at him but was restrained by the blocks.

"Don't move Zoë, you might have a few fractures sweet, we need to make sure you're not seriously hurt and we need to get a look at what's going in on the inside of your head." Nathan said softly as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I feel fine though." She said as she looked up at him while she furrowed her brow.

"You've had some morphine sweet, of course you're going to say you feel fine." Nathan said softly as he gave her a reassuring smile and gently rubbed her shoulder.

"Horatio, can you come with me please?" She asked as she looked up at him.

"Of course sweetheart, I wasn't going to let you go down on your own anyway." Horatio said softly and she gave him a small smile as she raised her hand and realised it was strapped up so she couldn't take hold of his hand. She just placed it against his stomach while he stood close to the bed as all she wanted was to feel him and his warmth. He placed his hand on her forearm and began to gently stroke her skin which acted as something to calm them both down further.

"I'm just going to check your eyes again, then we'll go down, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded again as he moved forwards with a gentle expression.

"Zoë, please try not to nod for me, don't move your head. Just answer with a yes or no, please?" He asked and she nodded again. Nathan exhaled heavily as he pulled his pen torch from his pocket. He was beginning to become frustrated as he knew she could have some unseen injuries but he also knew that she was probably very confused so couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry." She said as she began to cry. She pushed him away with her other hand and he realised she'd picked up on his frustration. He swallowed and took a deep breath himself, feeling bad for setting her off. "Horatio I want to go home" she begged him as she looked up at him. She looked into his gentle eyes as he bent down closer to her and held her hand against his chest.

"We can't sweetheart." Horatio said as he tried to calm her by running a gentle thumb over her cheek. Nathan stepped forwards again which caused Zoë to look over at him briefly which in turn caused her to panic more. She began to squirm on the spinal board, trying to get the straps free as she looked back to Horatio.

"He's angry with me!" Zoë cried as she tried to reach out for Horatio with both hands, needing comfort and security. Nathan could see that he'd really frightened her, he couldn't help but feel exceptionally guilty, he knew she was in a vulnerable position, but his frustration stemmed from his fear of her exacerbating any injuries she might have.

"He's not angry with you sweetheart, he's not going to hurt you. You know Nathan wouldn't hurt you." Horatio said softly and Nathan realised it was his heavy sigh that set her off.

"I'm not going to hurt you sweet, I know you're confused right now, that's not your fault. I'm sorry for making you think I was angry. I'm not, I'm really not angry Zoë." Nathan said softly and she looked back over to him as she blinked a few times.

"Please don't hurt me." She begged as she shook her head and tried to pull Horatio closer but she couldn't grip his shirt.

"I'm not going to hurt you Zoë, I would never hurt you. Can I have a look in your eyes please? Horatio can stand right where he is, I just need you to look at my ear please." He said softly, calmly.

"Yeah" she said as she reached out for Horatio before he placed both hands on her forearms and began to move his fingertips up and down her inner forearms to help calm her. Nathan cautiously leaned in closer and opened her eyes wider as he shone the torch into her eyes while she concentrated on his ear and Horatio's tender touch.

"Well done Zoë, you're doing really well. I know it's hard." Nathan said softly as he stepped back and wrote a few things down. Horatio looked at Nathan for his verdict, wanting to know if anything was wrong and what he was writing down but Nathan didn't look up to Horatio to see that he wanted information, he just looked straight back down to Zoë. "You're doing really well sweet. I'm going to take you for a CT now, is that okay?" He asked and Zoë nodded again as she pressed her lips into a hard line. "Try not to move sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she looked over to him and then licked her lips to moisten them.

"Do you have my handbag? My lips are drying and cracking." She asked Horatio, he couldn't help but smile because it was the last thing she should be worrying about, but it was just the sort of thing Zoë would say at a time like that. '_She's definitely going to be alright.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, your handbag was the last thing on my mind." Horatio said softly as he lightly moved his hand up to her upper arm as he tilted his head.

"I think you're in luck Zoë, I have some Vaseline, if you don't mind using mine obviously." Nathan said softly and she gave him a smile. '_She'd probably flip if she didn't get it, lucky I had mine on me!' _Nathan thought to himself.

"Please." She said and he smiled and then got it out of his jacket pocket.

"Would you rather Horatio applied it?" Nathan asked and she nodded. He handed Horatio the small tin and he quickly applied a small amount to her lips. They could see that she was much more relaxed now.

"Thank you" she said to the both of them as Horatio handed him the tin back.

"Come on then sweet." Nathan said softly as he took the breaks off the bed. Horatio placed his hand on her shoulder as he walked beside her often giving her a reassuring smile and expression when she looked up at him. They got her safely into the CT scanner and vacated the room to perform the scan.

"Okay sweet, we're going to start the scan now, try and lay as still as you can. You know the drill." Nathan said softly over the intercom as he gave the radiologist a nod.

"Is Horatio still there?" She asked.

"Yes I'm here sweetheart, you're doing really well." He said softly over the intercom as Nathan stepped back and allowed Horatio to move closer.

"I'm good then." Zoë said and they started the scan. 10 minutes in they noticed that her breathing had picked up.

"Are you okay Zoë?" Nathan asked as he gently gestured for Horatio to step away from the intercom so he could speak to Zoe.

"Yeah" she said almost breathlessly as she moved a little.

"Talk to me Zoë, what's wrong? Try and stay still." Nathan asked softly, thinking that the morphine had stopped working and that she was moving because she was starting to feel pain.

"I want Horatio." She said as she began to panic.

"Horatio's here sweet, he's not gone anywhere." Nathan assured her softly and then stepped back and gave Horatio a nod.

Horatio stepped up to the intercom. "You're doing well Zoë, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." Horatio said softly as he watched her scans develop on the screen and then looked up to her in the machine.

"I want Horatio now please!" She begged as she began to really move and really panic.

"Okay, get Horatio in now." Nathan said as he turned to the technician as they dumped a heavy lead apron on him. Causing him to grimace slightly when the lead made contact with his painful ribs, but he didn't care, he just looked at Zoë in the scanner.

"Horatio's coming in sweet, just stay calm." Nathan said as the technician opened the door for him and then let him into the room with her. Horatio quickly walked over to her, hoping she wasn't hurting herself further.

"It's okay sweetheart, I'm right here." Horatio said as he placed his hand on her shin as most of her body was in the scanner.

"Is that you Horatio?" She questioned frantically, unable to see him.

"Yes, it's me sweetheart, don't panic, you're doing so well." Horatio said softly and she took a few deep breaths. "Can you lay still for me please?" Horatio asked and she stilled. He glanced back over to the window were the technicians, radiographer and Nathan were sitting and standing. Nathan gave him a thumbs up to praise him in getting Zoë to lie still.

"I'm sorry." She apologised to Horatio, causing him to start to rub her shin lightly in an effort to comfort her.

"It's not a problem sweetheart, it's nearly over now, just try and lay really still." Horatio said softly as he looked back over to Nathan, wanting to know how much longer she was going to be in there as he knew she wouldn't lie still for more than another 5 minutes..

"A few more minutes Zoë and we'll have you out of there sweet." Nathan said over the intercom.

"Hear that? You'll be out of there soon and you get to see my ugly mug again." Horatio said softly as he looked down to the plain white floor, also wanting to feel her touch.

"You don't have an ugly mug, you're handsome and gorgeous and I can't wait to see you again." She said softly and Horatio couldn't help but smile to himself.

"Okay Zoë, we're bringing you out now, Horatio if you'd stand back for a moment please." Nathan said softly and Horatio stood back as they brought Zoë out. Horatio had noticed that her forehead had swollen a lot more and half of her face was beginning to get puffy again. Nathan quickly walked in with the technicians.

"Okay?" Nathan asked as he placed his hand on Zoë's shoulder and she nodded up at him.

"Okay, we're going to slide you back over to the bed and then take you back to resus so we can have a proper look at the scans, okay?" Nathan asked softly.

"Yeah" she said softly and Nathan gave her a nod with a smile. They transferred her over onto the bed before the technicians took the apron from Horatio, gently. Nathan took her back to resus with Horatio when Zoë's phone began to go off in Horatio's pocket as Nathan put the brakes on her bed.

"I'll be back soon okay." He said softly.

"Okay" Zoë said and then looked over to Horatio once Nathan left. She saw him check who was calling and saw that he thought about answering it.

"Who's ringing?" Zoë questioned as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"Joe, shall I answer it for you?" He asked and she nodded. He then answered as he reached down and placed his hand back on her shoulder.

"Horatio" he answered.

"Hi there Horatio, I was just wondering if you and Zoë would like to join Kaitlin and I for brunch?" He questioned warmly.

"Now isn't such a good time, but thank you Joe." Horatio said softly as he looked down to Zoë and gave her a reassuring smile as he moved his hand from her shoulder to her left cheek, gently running his finger over her cheek bone to her ear.

"Is everything okay?" Joe questioned and Horatio pursed his lips for a moment.

"Yes, we're out at the moment." Horatio said softly and he saw the frantic expression on Zoë's face. He knew that Zoë didn't want to worry Joe at all.

"Ah that would explain the noise, okay. Have a good day." Joe said softly, completely unsuspecting of anything.

"You too." Horatio said before they hung up, he knew Zoë didn't want him to tell Joe that she was in the hospital.

"Thank you" she said as she gave him a smile and moved her hand to place it against his stomach again. He smiled back warmly and placed the phone down on the bed as he placed his hand on her inner forearm.

"Not a problem sweetheart, but you know you're probably going to have to tell him. He's going to know something's happened." Horatio said softly with a gentle expression.

"I know." She sighed as she looked down to his chest briefly.

"I think the morphine is wearing off, I feel less fuzzy now." She said as she looked up at Horatio with a smile and he gave her a smile back, happy to see her smiling. He then picked up the phone again as it began to vibrate.

"Kaitlin is calling now." Horatio said softly and Zoë sighed as she looked up at him.

"Can you answer please?" She asked and Horatio nodded and then answered. She gently rubbed the splint on her arm over his stomach.

"Horatio" he said again as he answered.

"Hi Horatio, it's Kaitlin, can I quickly speak with Zoë?" She asked softly and Horatio's eyes moved down from the blue curtain to Zoë.

"One moment please." Horatio said softly and took the phone from his ear and covered the microphone.

"She wants to speak with you." Horatio said quietly and Zoë sighed again as she thought to herself.

"She's going to know something's up." She said as she frowned at Horatio. '_But she'll also know something's up if I don't answer.'_ Zoë thought to herself. She could see that Horatio was thinking the same thing. "Okay, could you hold it to my ear?" She asked and Horatio nodded and then placed the phone against her ear, between the block holding her head still.

"Hey Kate." She said softly, trying to sound happy and alright, also pulling a wide fake smile to try and get her in the mood.

"Hey gorgeous, I just wanted to say that I'm heading back to New York tomorrow, so is it possible if I can see you today? Will you and Horatio be home at some point?" She asked softly and Zoë swallowed as she looked over to Horatio. She knew she was caught in it.

"I'm not sure Kate, I'm really, really sorry gorgeous." She said quietly as she bit her lip and frowned mildly at Horatio.

"Has he whisked you away on a surprise holiday?" She asked brightly.

"Not quite, but I'm not sure I'm going to be home today, I'm sorry Kate." Zoë said softly, remaining strong. But to miss Kaitlin heading back to New York was a very big deal for her.

"Are you okay gorgeous? You sound a little weird." Kaitlin asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Zoë said softly but tried her best not to cry on the phone, but there was that fatal break in her voice that immediately signalled to Kaitlin that something was wrong.

"I know you're lying to me Zoë, tell me what's wrong." Kaitlin asked softly, trying to coax her into telling her.

"I'm good, don't worry about it. You can keep that top by the way." Zoë said softly as she tried the fake smile again to make herself feel better but it didn't work. She looked back over to Horatio and just wanted to hang up.

"No, I will worry. Why are you lying to me? You never lie to me. Has Horatio hurt you?" Kaitlin questioned a little more concerned, knowing Zoë was trying to skate around the problem and deter her from finding the truth out.

"No! Good lord, no… I may have hurt myself though." Zoë sighed as she closed her eyes.

"What? What have you done? Are you okay? Where are you?" Kaitlin asked frantically. "Zoë's hurt." Zoë heard her tell Joe. Joe quickly snatched the phone from Kaitlin with urgency.

"Zoë, are you okay? Where are you? What's wrong?" Joe questioned sharply.

"I'm okay, I'm at the hospital at the moment waiting for results from my CT scan, don't worry, Horatio's here with me and I'm okay, I suspect that nothing's wrong." Zoë said softly, trying to reassure him that everything was fine.

"We're on our way over, are you on a ward? Where are you?" Joe asked.

"No it's okay Bunny, I'm good." Zoë said.

"We're coming over Zoë, where are you?" Joe questioned.

"I'm in resus with Horatio. Don't worry though, Nathan's doing a good job." Zoë sighed.

"We'll be there in 5 minutes." Joe said before he hung up. Zoë exhaled and gave Horatio a nod and he pulled the phone from her ear.

"I wish she didn't know me as well." She sighed. "Joe's insisting that they're coming over. What am I going to say? Do I say that I jumped from the balcony? Joe will go ape-shit." Zoë said as she tried to rub her face but her hands were still strapped in splints.

"He'll understand sweetheart, it wasn't your fault." Horatio said softly as he placed the phone down and rubbed her upper arm delicately.

"How will he understand that I jumped off a balcony? I don't even understand it." Zoë panicked as she looked up at Horatio with worried eyes.

"He understands, he knows you can say or do things that are out of your control." Horatio said softly as he began to play with her hair as he bent over her and kissed the side of her face that wasn't swollen. She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck and held him there. He moved so his nose was touching hers. They both closed their eyes and nuzzled each other's noses.

"Thank you for being here with me Horatio. Thank you for staying with me through all of this, I know it's been hard on you." Zoë whispered.

"I'll stick with you through everything Zoë, I would walk to hell and back with you and do it again if need be." Horatio said softly as he pulled away slightly to he could look into the eyes he loved.

"Once we're completely better, I'm going to repay you so much for putting up with my shit." Zoë said softly with a mischievous grin pulling at the corners of her lips and Horatio chuckled as she winked at him.

"Just to see you smile is enough payment for me." Horatio said softly, looking into her eyes. She grinned as her eyes moved to the wrinkles that had formed in the corner of his eyes as he seemed so happy.

"You're so cute." She giggled lightly as she bit her lip and looked back into his eyes.

"You know I said I felt jumbled up and everything a couple of days ago?" She asked and Horatio nodded. "I feel completely fine now, perhaps the knock to the head has done some good? I don't feel confused, I don't feel like I'm mixed up, I feel like normal Zoë." She said as she looked into his eyes, genuinely happy.

"Perhaps it has." Horatio smiled, he could see the difference in her eyes. He could see the Zoë he knew, the bouncy Zoë that she usually was.

"I hope it has, if it has I don't regret jumping off that balcony, I should have done it sooner." She said softly.

"Hmm." Horatio murmured as he raised his eyebrows at her.

"I know you're not happy about it, but perhaps it really has sorted me out." Zoë said softly as she moved one of her splinted hands to his chest to try and feel the fabric of his shirt.

"Zoë?" A familiar voice sounded, Horatio glanced over and saw Joe making his way over. "Zoë, darling, are you okay?" Joe questioned loudly as he rushed over to them once he knew it was actually them, although, a man with red-hair and a smart suit leaning over a bed would almost certainly be Horatio and Zoë. Horatio quickly stood up straight and gave Joe a reassuring smile and nod.

"I'm good." Zoë said as she let go of Horatio and looked up at Joe as he stood at the other side of the bed.

"What have you done?" Joe questioned as his eyes scanned her body, seeing her boarded and strapped up and she shrugged at him as she pressed her lips together. "Don't try and pull wool over my eyes. What did you do? Did you run in front of a car or something?" Joe questioned as his eyes quickly studied the swelling on the right side of her face.

"No." She said as she looked up at him with furrowed eyebrows. He could see that she really didn't want to tell him.

"Zoë, please tell me what you did, I'm not going to be mad with you." Joe said softly and she looked up at Horatio. He placed his hand on the top of her head away from her injuries and gave her a reassuring smile as he nodded, encouraging her.

She took a deep breath and then looked back over to Joe. "I… I had another outburst, I couldn't control it." Zoë said and then swallowed as she blinked a few times and looked straight up at the ceiling.

"What did you do darling?" Joe questioned softly as he placed his hand on her shoulder. She took a deep breath and pressed her lips together as she tried to fight the tears. She shook her head lightly, unable to shake it anymore as her head was held by the blocks and collar. "Zoë, I understand that you didn't mean to do it whatever it was." Joe said softly as he began to stroke her upper arm. She took a large broken breath and then looked back over to Horatio who gave her another encouraging nod and expression.

She blinked a few times as she looked back over to Joe. "I jumped off the balcony, I didn't mean to, I don't understand why I did it." Zoë whispered and then waited for the anger to make a show.

"Oh Bunny, how are you feeling?" Joe questioned warmly as he placed his hand on her shoulder and tilted his head at her. She frowned mildly, surprised by his gentle demeanour.

"I'm okay, just hurt a little. My head is also a lot clearer than it was before I jumped. Don't blame Horatio for not stopping me either because I jumped before he had the chance to get close to me." Zoë said as she looked up at him, becoming worried again.

"I don't blame anyone Bunny, don't worry. Have you had painkillers?" Joe questioned as he gently moved his thumb over her collarbone.

"I had some morphine earlier, but it's worn off. I don't want anymore." She said and he nodded at her, understanding. Nathan then turned up, looking happy and confident. Horatio immediately relaxed when he saw that Nathan wasn't worried about anything. Joe looked over to him, Nathan could see that he wanted to know everything and fast.

"Hi there Joe, Zoë I've looked over your CT too and there's no breaks anywhere. The small hairline fracture in your skull has got slightly bigger though, so I'm going to keep you in under close observation for a couple of hours." Nathan said softly and Zoë nodded with a relieved smile. Horatio also exhaled with a relieved smile, followed by Joe. Both Joe and Horatio then looked back to Zoë with gentle smiles. "I'm just going to get everything off you now, okay?" Nathan asked and she nodded with a small smile, then glanced up to Joe nervously. "Joe do you mind waiting outside for a moment please?" Nathan asked and he nodded with a gentle smile.

"I'll see you in a moment Bunny." He said as he walked out and Nathan pulled the curtain around again.

"Okay, I'll take these blocks from you and then just change into the gown and call me back in when you're ready." Nathan said warmly said softly and she nodded as she exhaled just as he pulled the blocks from her head. He took the collar off and then asked her to gently move her head, he then un-splinted her wrists before he handed Horatio the gown and promptly left to stand behind the curtain. She sat up and looked down at herself she quickly crossed her arms over her chest when she realised she was naked and then looked up at Horatio with a deep frantic frown.

"Why am I wearing your boxers, Horatio? Did they cut my clothes off again?" She questioned as she looked round to Horatio while he picked up the gown from the end of the bed.

He raised his eyebrows as he looked at her a little confused himself. "You refused to wear anything of your own and you have done since we woke up." Horatio said softly and she looked horrified as she tightened her arms around herself while she looked into Horatio's blue eyes. "You'd only wear the clothes I had worn, I eventually figured out that if I put your clothes on briefly, you'd wear them, but only if I'd worn them." Horatio said softly as he placed his hand on her bare back and gave her a small reassuring smile before he unfolded the gown.

"Why?" Zoë questioned as she looked at the gown while Horatio sorted it out and worked out what way around it was supposed to go. He then looked up at her and shrugged at her with a miffed facial expression. "Please tell me that these were clean boxers when I put them on?" Zoë questioned as she winced, cringing at the thought of putting Horatio's boxers on after he'd worn them.

"Yes, it's the only item of clothing that you'd put on without me wearing first." Horatio said softly and she exhaled a sigh of relief as Horatio put the gown on her and then tied it up behind her neck.

"Does Nathan know?" She asked and Horatio nodded.

"Nathan, can you come in please?" She questioned as Horatio stepped back once the gown was on her properly. He quickly stepped around the curtain with a gentle smile.

"I don't understand, why wouldn't I wear clothes?" Zoë questioned Nathan and he sighed lightly as he stepped forwards and gave her more of a gentle smile. He looked into her eyes and saw that she looked a lot better in herself, she didn't have that generally confused, foggy look about her.

"I think it was a combination of a couple of things, you were displaying signs of exhibitionism and you developed a strong attachment to Horatio. In your case it wasn't exhibitionism as you just didn't want to wear the clothes, you didn't necessarily want to show yourself to the world. I suspect that you felt comfortable when not wearing clothes and at least a little more comfortable wearing Horatio's clothes rather than your own. Horatio's clothes also probably had his smell, which I've noticed you like, a lot. That'll add to your comfort." Nathan said softly and she shook her head as she looked down. She swallowed and began to play with her fingers as she looked down at them. She felt confused and shocked by what Horatio had just told her. She then frowned as she bit her lip.

She took a deep breath and then looked up at Horatio with questioning eyes. He could see guilt forming as well as worry. "Was I difficult?" Zoë questioned Horatio and he looked down, breaking the eye contact. He exhaled softly as he blinked a few times, unsure of what to say. He couldn't lie to her and he couldn't be straight with her.

"Is that a yes?" Zoë questioned and Horatio looked up at her and exhaled again as he fiddled with his fingers, he felt lost without his sunglasses.

"You weren't difficult as such, you just put up a little bit of a fight each time clothes were mentioned or when something didn't go quite right." Horatio said softly. She exhaled heavily as she looked down while Nathan pulled the head of the bed up.

"Oh Horatio, I'm so sorry, I don't even remember being like that." She said as she sat back feeling exceptionally guilty. She looked up at him and saw he had his gentle eyes on her. "I'm so sorry Horatio, please forgive me." She apologised again quickly.

He bent down to gain some eye contact with her as he took a loose hold of her hand. "Don't worry sweetheart, don't worry at all. Of course I forgive you, none of it was your fault." Horatio said softly as he looked deeply into her eyes while he placed his other hand on her thigh. She gave him a small smile as she lifted her head a little more and then reached up to his shoulders. He gave her a smile and then moved closer to give her the hug she wanted and needed.

"I love you so much Horatio." She whispered into his ear once her arms were wrapped around him tightly. "Gosh, I love you so much." She whispered again, sincerely as she nuzzled at the hair behind his ear.

"I love you so much too, Zo. Please don't worry about anything, it's all in the past." Horatio whispered back as he lightly rubbed her back with his right hand while his left threated in her hair. They pulled back as Zoë placed both of her hands behind Horatio's head and delicately placed a delicious kiss on his supple lips. He returned the kiss equally as delicately and then pulled back with a compassionate smile and expression. He removed his hand from her hair and then ran his knuckles over her soft cheek. She took a deep breath before she glanced down as he removed his hand from her cheek. She gave him a shy smile and then turned to look at Nathan while she took hold of one of Horatio's hands.

"Nathan, could that knock to the head have cured me? I can think clearly and everything now. I don't feel foggy or mixed up." Zoë questioned as she ran her thumb over Horatio's knuckles.

"Really?" Nathan questioned as he crossed his arms, suspecting that she wasn't telling him the truth and she nodded with a genuine smile.

"Honestly, compared to this morning, I feel good as new, I don't feel confused or anything." She said confidently and he saw that she was telling the truth, he saw that she felt confident in herself and he could see the difference in her eyes. Something just seemed a lot less cloudy in them.

"Perhaps it has done some good then." Nathan smiled as he unfolded his arms and picked up her notes. "Head injuries are always difficult and complex." Nathan sighed as he shook his head as he wrote a few things down in her notes. "Right, do you want to come up to my ward for a couple of hours?" Nathan asked as he put his pen back in his pocket and the notes on the end of her bed.

"If I have to I suppose." She smiled softly with a little bit of cheek. "Won't I have to stay here overnight in case of the outbursts though?" Zoë asked softly as she mildly frowned at him.

"Well, if you're telling me the truth, and it looks like you are, your outbursts should have stopped. I'll see how you are over the time you're here though." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she pressed her lips into a hard line, feeling a little apprehensive.

"I don't want to stress Horatio out though." She said as she took a tighter hold of Horatio's hand and glanced up at him before looking back to Nathan.

"If you're well, you won't, so there's no need to worry." Nathan said softly and she nodded as she looked over to Horatio and he gave her a smile. '_She does look better, I don't know what it is about her, but she definitely looks better.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Okay, up we go." Nathan said softly as he pulled the curtain back and then took the brakes off as Joe walked over with Kaitlin behind him.

"Kaitlin" She beamed.

"Hey, how are you doing gorgeous?" She asked softly as she took hold of Zoë's hand.

"Much better thank you, I should be allowed to go in a couple of hours." Zoë smiled and Kaitlin nodded with a bright smile. Zoë then noticed that Kaitlin's facial expression had changed when she focused on the right side of Zoë's face. Kaitlin began to frown as she tilted her head at Zoë.

"Are you in pain?" Kaitlin asked and Zoë shook her head.

"Not much anyway, obviously, I hurt a little, but it's not too bad." She said softly as she smiled sweetly up at Kaitlin, still studying Kaitlin's frown and wondering what she was frowning at.

"Really? I think I'd be crying right now if my face was that swollen." She said softly and Zoë tilted her head with a developing frown.

"What?" Zoë questioned, confused.

"Your face, it's a little puffy." Kaitlin said softly and Zoë looked round to Horatio with a deep frown. She let go of Kaitlin's hand and raised her hand to her face. She touched her cheek and could feel that it was swollen.

"Only a little sweetheart, it's nothing to worry about." Horatio assured her when he saw the look of horror fleet across her face.

She quickly looked back to Kaitlin and up into her blue eyes. "Do you have a mirror on you?" Zoë questioned and Kaitlin nodded and then looked in her handbag.

"Zoë, perhaps that's not such a good idea, sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he placed his other hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, perhaps have a look a little later Bunny. I'm sure Kaitlin has forgotten her mirror anyway as we left in a hurry." Joe said softly, hinting to Kaitlin to say that she'd forgotten her mirror, just as Kaitlin produced the mirror from her handbag.

"No I want to see." Zoë said and she then took the mirror from Kaitlin as she handed Zoë the mirror. She let go of Horatio's hand as he took a deep breath, knowing her reaction wasn't going to be pretty. "Good lord!" Zoë said as she raised her other hand to her face, looking utterly horrified. "I look horrible!" She said as she dropped the mirror to the bed and covered her face with her hands as she shook her head as she began to sob.

"Kaitlin" Joe quietly scolded as he picked up the mirror and handed it back to her, looking displeased while Kaitlin looked at him innocently.

"I'm sorry" she panicked and Joe exhaled as he placed his hand on her arm to try and give her comfort as her eyes welled as she looked to Zoë as they approached the lift. Kaitlin was on the verge of tears because Zoë was crying and Joe knew if Kaitlin started, Zoë would only cry more because Kaitlin was crying.

"You don't look horrible Zoë." Horatio said softly as he rubbed her arm but she just shook her head, disagreeing with him. '_If she doesn't have an outburst now, I'd say she's recovering.'_ Nathan thought to himself as he quickly pushed the bed into the lift and then pressed the button to his ward after everyone had boarded.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

"I'm sorry gorgeous, I didn't mean to upset you." Kaitlin said as she placed her hand on Zoë's other shoulder while she her lips together to try and push her tears back but she could feel the lump in her throat. She hated to see Zoë cry and to be the cause of it was upsetting to her. Horatio glanced at Kaitlin as Joe rubbed her arm. He could see that Kaitlin was cut up so gave her a reassuring smile before he placed one hand on Zoë's thigh as his other rested on her shoulder.

"I'm not gorgeous, don't look at me please." She begged and Horatio crouched down and put his head closer to hers.

"You are beautiful Zoë, it's only a little swelling, it'll go down soon. It's only noticeable when you're close to you. Don't worry about it sweetheart." Horatio tried assuring her and she looked over to him with a pained expression, Horatio could see that she was horribly upset by it. She then frowned at him and shook her head, disagreeing with him again.

"You try looking like a football." Zoë said quietly as she wiped her eyes and sent her eyes to the bed again.

"You don't look like a football Zoë, I promise you that. It's just a little swelling sweetheart." Horatio said softly as he raised a hand and rubbed her cheek with the pad of his thumb as he crouched lower to try and gain some eye contact with her. She blinked at few times and then looked back into his eyes while she continued to wipe the corners of her eyes, sweeping the falling tears away before he took over for her and wiped the tears away with his fingers.

"I'll give you some anti-inflammatory tablets in a moment sweet." Nathan said softly and she looked round to him and nodded. She then looked up to Horatio again and he moved closer again and lightly lifted her head so he could kiss her lightly.

"Don't worry sweetheart." Horatio said before he placed a light kiss on her lips. He watched a small smile tug at her lips when he backed off a few inches.

"Thank you." She said quietly and he gave her a small smile and then stood back up as they walked out of the lift. Horatio threated his fingers in her hair as she leant back again. Kaitlin and Joe remained silent for a moment, letting Horatio calm her and keep her calm. Nathan settled Zoë into the room before leaving to get her the anti-inflammatory tablets. He returned with a glass of water.

"I need to keep a close eye on you after you take these as you had a reaction to them last time, I do think however, you only had a reaction to them due to the stress your body was under." Nathan said softly and Zoë nodded and then took them without even thinking about what he said.

Horatio tried to stop her but she'd already swallowed them. "Are you sure they're safe for her to take if she had a reaction to them last time?" Horatio questioned as he looked back to Nathan.

"I'm not sure, no, that's why I'm keeping an eye on her." Nathan said softly and Horatio exhaled, not entirely impressed that he'd given her something that could cause a reaction. He was also shocked that Zoë had just swallowed the tablets without a care or thought. '_She probably didn't even listen to him, she trusts him that much to just take anything that he handed her? Then again, he does know what he's doing and is genuinely a good person.'_ Horatio thought to himself. Nathan and Horatio looked over to Zoë once she registered what Nathan had told her before she took the tablets.

"But surely if I had a reaction to it last time, this time won't be any different?" Zoë questioned as she lowered her eyebrows at Nathan.

"It was just your asthma that played up a little, you didn't have a full on allergic reaction, so I think you'll be fine this time." Nathan said and Zoë nodded happy with is reasoning. She sat back and took hold of Horatio's hand as he moved closer to her. Horatio's headache only felt minimal now, he barely even noticed that it was still there as he'd calmed down considerably and didn't feel half as stressed.

"You guys don't have to stay here, I'll be out soon anyway." Zoë said softly as she looked over to Joe and Kaitlin.

"I'd rather be here than anywhere else." Joe said softly as he gave her a reassuring smile while Kaitlin continued to compose herself from the upset she'd caused Zoë.

"You'd rather be stuck in a hospital than going on a lovely walk on the beach? Joe, you confuse me." She smiled at him and he chuckled as he walked over to the bed and tilted his head at her as he raised his eyebrows.

"If it were the other way around you'd be saying the same to me." He said softly and she nodded with a smile, knowing what he was saying was true. Nathan came in quite often to check up on her while Horatio sat on the edge of her bed while Kaitlin and Joe took two seats. 3 hours quickly passed and Nathan entered the room once more.

"Joe, Kaitlin, if you could both step outside for a little while as I give Zoë one last check over, I'd be most grateful." Nathan said softly and they quickly walked out. Zoë gave him a smile as she sat up a little more, ready for his poking and prodding. Horatio stepped back slightly as he let go of her and to sit down, ready to watch Nathan check Zoë over and ready to make sure that he was being gentle with her. "I do think that you've improved, I expected you to have an outburst in that lift earlier." Nathan said softly, honestly as he picked up her notes and glanced to her obs.

"I thought I was, but I didn't. Does that mean I don't actually have to stay?" Zoë asked and Nathan nodded as he put the notes down and then walked to the opposite side of the bed to Horatio so he could have a full view of what he was doing. He began to feel her hands, feet and legs. She hissed a few times, but continued to have a sweet smile set upon her face.

"I'm rather surprised you've not broken anything, you must be having a lucky day." He said softly as he gave her a wink, showing her his sarcasm. He moved his hands up to her head and gently felt the bones in her face and then moved to her forehead while she continued to act natural, at ease with his hands on her face.

"I don't think me and lucky day sounds right in the same sentence." Zoë said softly and Nathan gave her a smile as he stifled a chuckle with a nod, agreeing with her.

"You're going to be in a bit of pain for now, but I'll give you some painkillers for that. You're almost definitely going to come out in more bruises. You'll find that your head, chest and hip bones hurt the most, so try not to put weight on your front." Nathan said softly as he checked her eyes with his pen torch.

"Does that mean no sex?!" Zoë questioned as he finished with her eyes. Her eyes had widened as she looked up at him frantically.

"No sweet, it doesn't. It means be careful." Nathan chuckled softly as he slipped the pen torch into his pocket and continued his examination.

"Don't forget there's more than one position sweetheart." Horatio whispered to her and she began to chuckle as she smiled radiantly at him.

"Oh yeah, that doesn't sound too bad then." She smiled at him with a wink.

"Okay, behave both of you." Nathan said with a wide smile as he felt Zoë's stomach as she continued to grin at Horatio while he grinned back at her.

"We are. If you think that's misbehaving, then you've got a lot to learn." Zoë cheekily grinned up at Nathan as she raised her eyebrows. Nathan chuckled at her as he shook his head.

He stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay, you're free to go. I'll go and get you some scrubs." He said with a smile. She nodded at him before he turned and walked out. She smiled up at Horatio as he gave her a boyish smile back. Nathan quickly came back in with the scrubs and walked out with her notes to write a few things down while Zoë changed after he'd drawn the bed curtain. He then walked back in and made sure she was decent before he pulled the bed curtain back.

"Are you sure you don't want some stronger painkillers, Zoë?" Nathan questioned as he looked up at them once Zoë was fully decent and dressed.

"I'm sure, I'm just a little stiff from being strapped to that board and not being able to move properly for a few hours." Zoë said softly and Nathan nodded as he put the notes down on the bed.

"Okay, I'll be right back in with a wheelchair, you're to come back and see me in 3 days, then I'll see whether you can return back to work. Horatio, I don't advise that you leave Zoë again, she seems to still have that strong attachment with you." Nathan said softly and Horatio nodded as he put his arm around her lower back as she nodded at him as well. Nathan then walked out and Zoë turned to Horatio and hugged him. They both held the silent hug until Nathan walked back in. She got into the wheelchair before they exited the room. Joe and Kaitlin walked down with them to the entrance. Zoë constantly looked up at Horatio as he walked, she could see that he was thinking about a few things. She loved his look of concentration so couldn't peel her eyes from him. Once outside, Zoë got out of the wheelchair and immediately turned to Nathan.

"Thank you Nathan, for everything, you're such an angel and I can't thank you enough." Zoë said as she lightly hugged him. She then gave him a kiss on the cheek as she backed off. Horatio shook his hand with an appreciative smile.

"Thank you Nathan." Horatio said as he gave him an appreciative nod, just happy to see Horatio relaxed and not stressed any longer. Horatio's headache was a distant memory as he looked back to Zoë as she smiled at Nathan.

"Call if you need anything, okay?" Nathan asked and Horatio nodded as he put his arm around Zoë.

"Thank you again Nathan." Joe said softly and Kaitlin quickly said the same and then shook his hand. Nathan then walked back in with the wheelchair, happy to see Zoë well again, and happy to see Horatio much less stressed.

"Come on, we'll take you back." Joe said softly as he placed his hand on Zoë's arm and she nodded at him with a smile. They arrived at the hire car and Joe opened the front passenger door for Zoë, automatically as it is what he'd always done.

"I'll sit in the back with Horatio please." She said softly and Joe nodded, glancing over to Kaitlin who approached the open door.

"Of course darling." He said softly and then opened the back door as Kaitlin climbed into the front. Horatio helped her into the back and then walked around to the other side as Joe closed both doors and then got into the driver's seat. They all plugged in their seatbelts before Joe pulled off.

"Has my face gone down?" Zoë asked quietly and Horatio nodded as he placed his hand over her thigh. She placed both of her hands over his hand and then gave him a small smile, happy to hear that her face had gone down.

"Yes, it's just your forehead that's a little swollen now, but it's barely noticeable." Horatio said softly and Zoë nodded, happy.

"Okay, thank you." She said softly as she rubbed his forearm.

She then looked back into the front at Kaitlin as she sat forwards. "So you're off home tomorrow Kaitlin?" Zoë asked softly and she turned and nodded with a not-so-happy smile. Zoë knew she didn't want to leave, she and Joe could see that Kaitlin had fallen in love with Miami. "If my face is any better, can we all go for dinner later?" She asked as she glanced at all 3 of them before her eyes rested on Horatio last.

"That sounds like a plan." Kaitlin smiled at Zoë and Zoë smiled back as she quickly looked back round to Kaitlin.

"I'll call you with the details later if I'm feeling up to it?" Zoë asked and Kaitlin nodded with a genuinely happy smile.

"Sounds good." Kaitlin beamed. "Are you going to wear a dress or suit?" Kaitlin asked as she turned in the seat to look back at Zoe.

"More than likely a suit, I've got bruises everywhere. I suspect that some bruises from this morning will have developed by later anyway." Zoë said softly and Kaitlin nodded, already planning her outfit out now she knew what Zoë was wearing.

"Okay, I'll probably wear something along those lines too then." She smiled and Zoë nodded with a smile, somewhat relieved to know that Kaitlin wasn't going to wear a dress. '_I'm glad she's not wearing a dress because then she'll look so hot and it'll show me and my suit up.'_ Zoë thought to herself. '_She'll look hot anyway, she always does.' _Zoë thought to herself as she continued to rub Horatio's forearm.

"Here you go darling, we won't come in because I know you want some space right now. Give us a call later and call if you need anything okay?" Joe asked softly and Zoë nodded with a smile as she unplugged her seatbelt.

"Thank you" she said as she sat forwards and kissed them both on the cheek. She then shuffled out after Horatio and waved them off as Horatio let them in to the house.

"I didn't have a shower this morning, did I?" Zoë asked and Horatio shook his head.

"Eww, I'm going for one now then." She said softly and Horatio nodded with a secret smile, a little amused as he glanced down and dropped his keys into the key bowl. "Yes, you can come too; I know you want to make sure I'm okay." She smiled at him when she saw his hesitance. She then saw him relax as a shy smile developed across his face as he looked back up at her.

"Come on then." She smiled as she walked upstairs. He followed her up and also showered himself after her. He came out once she had dressed in her joggers and a tank-top. A smile immediately developed across his face, happy to see her in her own clothes without an argument. He also put some lazy clothes on and walked over to her as she sat and filed her nails while sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked up at him and saw the smile across his face and then stood herself and wrapped her arms around him after dropping the nail file to the bedside table.

"Not too tight, please." She asked softly when he wrapped his strong arms around her. He loosened his grip and then placed a light kiss on her lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck and then kissed him back with a smile of her own. They kissed a little more with their eyes closed, just feeling their bodies together while their lips fit perfectly together. '_She's so relaxed, she's not been this relaxed since before the crash!'_ Horatio thought to himself as one of his hands moved down to her ass. He pulled back when he heard her stomach growl.

"Lunch?" Horatio questioned and she nodded as she released him. They walked downstairs, both happy, both with secret smiles on their faces. "Ham and cheese omelette?" Horatio asked and she nodded with a smile.

"Can I help with it?" Zoë asked softly as he washed his hands.

"You can whisk the eggs or grate the cheese?" Horatio asked softly as she washed hers.

"Cheese" she said as she got the ingredients out of the fridge and placed them on the side for him.

"How much cheese do you want?" She asked Horatio as she pulled the cheese grater from one of the cupboards and began to grate the cheddar cheese.

"Stop when you fill it half way." Horatio said referring to the tub that the cheese once grated falls into. She nodded while he started to whisk the egg. Once she'd finished, she cut up the thick ham and placed it in a bowl ready for him as she watched him begin to make the omelettes. She often looked down to his ass with a wide smile. He knew she was checking him out, causing a grin to appear on his face as he glanced back a few times with a boyish grin. She looked up and into his eyes every time he turned around. He then made the omelettes and then sat down with her after she got them both a glass of orange juice.

"Thank you Horatio" She said as he placed the plate in front of her and then handed her cutlery.

"You're very welcome" he smiled at her. She glanced round when she heard something odd in the living room and then looked back to Horatio.

"Do you want to swap?" Horatio questioned softly, thinking that was the problem. She tilted her head and looked at him with a mild frown as she exhaled a small laugh, confused.

"Swap what?" She asked with a smile. '_I must be hearing things.'_ She thought to herself.

"Plates and cutlery?" Horatio asked softly as he readied himself to swap, but saw her confusion.

"Why would I want to swap? They're the same thing." She chuckled and Horatio raised his eyebrows, surprised, but happy. She quickly cut a little bit of the omelette up and then ate it while she studied his surprised, yet relieved expression. "Don't tell me that I refused to eat unless I swapped with you too?" She asked before she took a sip of her orange and Horatio nodded.

"You even ate my prawn salad sandwich, instead of your cheese sandwich." Horatio said warmly as he cut into his omelette, happy that he wouldn't have to swap with her.

"Eww, really?" She asked and Horatio nodded as he picked up a piece.

"You also said you didn't like fish, especially salmon." Horatio said softly before he ate his first bite of the delicious omelette.

"I love salmon." She said as she looked at him and he nodded.

"I know." He said softly after he'd finished his mouthful.

"What else was I doing?" She asked curiously before she took another mouthful.

"That was about it I think." Horatio said softly and she nodded. '_I'm not going to go into detail about the clothes business and how she was naked most of the time, it would destroy her. She's better off if she doesn't know. I'm glad she doesn't remember that, she's feel incredibly embarrassed if she knew about it and probably wouldn't want to face anyone ever again. Yes, keeping that quiet is probably best.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"Well, I really must be better then." She said softly and Horatio nodded with a smile. They continued to eat the omelettes whilst continuing the pleasant conversation.

"What shall we do this afternoon then?" She smiled at him as she pushed her plate away and pulled the large glass of orange juice closer to finish it.

"Rest, I think." Horatio said as he looked up at her and she nodded, agreeing. Both looked and felt shattered.

"Sounds good to me." She smiled and then cleared her plate away as Horatio cleared his away. They walked through into the living room once they'd tided and relaxed back on the sofa. Horatio called to make a reservation with a restaurant after making sure Zoë was happy to go out.

"I'm going for a shower." She said as she got up.

"I'll be up in a bit sweetheart." Horatio said as she walked out and she nodded at him with a fresh smile. He quickly rang Eric to see where they were with the case, but they weren't much further. After hanging up he went upstairs and had a very quick shower himself. He walked into the bedroom just as Zoë was changing into a black suit and red silk shirt. He froze by the door as she turned and smiled at him. He felt his heart rate double as his face drained of it's colour.

"What's wrong?" Zoë asked frantically when she saw the fear and torment on his face. He couldn't answer, he was thrown into a deep daze, remembering their kidnapping when she was poisoned. He blinked a few times, reliving the moment when he first woke up in the green, dingy room, firstly seeing her deep red shirt. He relived the fear and terror he first felt as his heart rate only increased when he envisioned the time when they took Zoë from him, letting him believe that they were going to rape her. His heart leapt into his throat when he closed his eyes to relive the scene where they brought her back, re-dressed.

"Horatio, what's wrong? You're scaring me." She said loudly as she walked over to him and placed her palms on his cheeks, pulling him from the deep flashback. He took a few deep breaths as his eyes darted around Zoë's face. He placed his hands on her waist, just to feel her beneath his hands to reassure himself that she was real, that she was okay. He stared, blinking at her shirt for a few moments while she frowned gravely at him, exceptionally worried. He swallowed and then looked back up at her, gazing into her terrified eyes.

"I'm sorry Zoë, just a memory." Horatio said quietly as he brought a hand up to her face to gently cup her cheek as he exhaled.

"What memory?" Zoë questioned. He looked down and exhaled once more. He didn't want to tell her because it would cause him to relive the memories once more. He shook his head and dropped his hands from her body and face. He gave her a small forced smile as he held her concerned eyes.

"I'm fine." He assured her and then walked past her and picked out a pair of boxers from the draw and quickly pulled them on. He pulled the towel from his hips and picked up his suit and shirt while Zoë stood by the doorway, studying him silently, confused.

She blinked a few times before she herself was thrown into a flashback that she didn't remember. It was the day previously when they were outside by the pool. Her jaw tightened when she heard herself shout those horrible things at Horatio. She swallowed as she looked down and shook her head, wanting to un-see what had been seen. She looked back up at him as he tried his best to concentrate on his suit as he dressed, unable to look up at her while he composed himself. "If you're thinking about what I said yesterday, I didn't mean it at all, what I said was disgusting I know. I'd never do anything like that Horatio, please believe me, I'd never do that. I can't believe I said it. I'm so sorry, I really am so sorry." She said frantically as she began to walk over to him. Horatio looked up at her and he saw the horror on her face and her sheer panic. She clasped her trembling hands together, afraid that he believed her.

"It's nothing to do with that sweetheart, it's okay. Don't worry." Horatio assured her as he walked over to her and then engulfed her in his arms as he closed his eyes, he tried his best to push the memories back, but each time he saw the red silk shirt, a new memory awakened.

"Then what is it?" Zoë asked quietly, needing to know so she could put her mind at rest.

"Your suit and shirt… it just brought back some memories that I'd rather have buried and hidden away." Horatio said softly as he pulled away and stepped back to place his hands on her upper arms, fixing his eyes on hers so he didn't have to look at the shirt.

"What memories?" Zoë asked softly as she placed her hands on his sides, above his belt, looking frantically into his eyes.

Horatio exhaled and glanced down as he briefly closed his eyes. "When you were poisoned sweetheart, you wore a black suit with a red silk shirt." Horatio said softly as he looked back up at her and ran his hand in her hair, watching her hair part between his fingers. She looked into his distressed eyes for a few moments more as she stepped back and began to undo her shirt immediately.

"Oh Horatio, I'm so sorry, I didn't realise, I didn't remember. I'll change." She said as she pulled out of his grip and then quickly took her shirt off and threw it into the bin. He'd never seen her take a shirt off so quickly, not even for intimacy. He stood in the middle of the room while she walked over to the wardrobe and pulled a light blue shirt from it. He just stared at the screwed up silk shirt in the bin. She pulled it on as she walked out as she flicked her hair out, pulling her jacket on over the shirt. "I'm sorry Horatio." She said softly as she looked over to him.

"It's okay sweetheart, I'm sorry for worrying you." Horatio said softly as he gently pulled her in for another hug. She knew he needed the comfort more than her so nuzzled at his neck a little.

"We should get going handsome." Zoë said softly as she ran her fingertips over the back of his cotton shirt.

"You're right." He said as he pulled from the hug and smiled gently down at her.

"Let's have a wonderful evening." She smiled and he nodded and then kissed her. She then took hold of his hand and walked out of the bedroom with him. They had a cheerful evening, but Zoë shed a tear or two when she said her goodbye to Kaitlin, Kaitlin shed many more. Horatio reassured her that she'd see her soon and then got her home. They weren't long into bed and the next morning they woke, they went for a slow walk up the beach in the warm Miami sun.

"Do you mind nipping into the lab? I'd like an update on what's gone on." Horatio said softly as he glanced to Zoë, feeling the sand give way under his heavy feet.

"Of course" she said softly as they strolled back to the house. "We'll head off once I've changed into something a little smarter." She said softly and Horatio nodded as he tightened his arm around her lower back.

"Ah, a little looser please Horatio." She yelped and he quickly released her.

"I'm sorry beautiful." He apologised quickly as he looked at her, trying to judge whether he seriously hurt her, but she seemed fine, she just grimaced a little.

"It's okay, just try and keep your strength out of the grip." She smiled up at him and then pulled his arm back around her. He kissed the top of her head and carried on walking. Once back, Zoë changed and then went over to the lab with Horatio. They quickly met with Eric as he continued work on the case.

"Eric, what have you got?" Horatio asked softly as he lightly rubbed Zoë's lower back.

"Not much, we can't do anymore until we interrogate LeBrock." Eric sighed.

"May I have your notes?" Horatio asked and Eric handed him the pile of notes. He looked through them and nodded as Zoë looked down at the desk, taking in everything that was in front of her while she fiddled with her fingers.

"I'm going to have a few words with him now." Horatio exhaled as he pulled his phone out and looked up at Eric. "Are you busy Eric?" Horatio asked and he shook his head. He glanced to Zoë as she looked down at some of the evidence, silently telling him to keep an eye on her and Eric nodded.

"I'll be back in a few minutes sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked up at him. He walked out as she looked back down to the evidence while Horatio phoned the prison.

"How are you feeling, Zo?" Eric asked softly as he leant on the desk.

"Really good thank you Eric, I had a small knock to the head yesterday, but since I've felt normal again, I mean I don't feel mixed up, foggy or confused anymore, so I'm happy." She smiled and he smiled at her, happy to see her happy and relaxed. Even he could see a difference in her, he couldn't put his finger on it, but he could definitely tell that she was back to normal or near enough.

"I've not had any of those outburst things either, or been stubborn." She smiled and Eric smiled widely, he liked to see her happy. '_It's so good to see them both up, well and relaxed after nearly two weeks of watching them lie in those hospital beds an inch away from death. _

"That's great Zoë, how'd you knock your head though?" Eric asked softly, curiously.

"I jumped from the balcony." She said sweetly as she looked back down at the evidence, Eric took a sharp intake of air, shocked. He mildly frowned, unsure if she was joking. '_Is she messing with me? She must be joking, surely?'_ Eric thought to himself. He studied her facial expression again. '_She's actually telling me she jumped from her balcony, she looks like she's telling the truth.' _He thought to himself as he watched her eyes study each individual piece of evidence.

"You jumped from your balcony?" Eric questioned and she looked up at him and nodded. He saw the placid, happy look on her face and his eyebrows rose. '_She's actually telling me the truth.'_ Eric thought to himself as his eyes widened slightly as he stood up straight.

"I knocked myself out and since I've felt brilliant. I should do it more often." She smiled and his eyes widened more. "I joke, I wouldn't do that again." She said quickly when she saw that he believed her. She then began to giggle softly when he looked down and exhaled a chuckle as he shook his head. "Horatio very nearly had a heart attack, it was just as well Nathan was round at the time." She said softly. '_Well, Horatio nearly having a heart attack is believable.'_ Eric thought to himself as he nodded, still shocked.

"Are you okay? How are you up and walking about if you jumped from a balcony?" Eric questioned and she shrugged casually as she began to play with a pen that was in front of her. She looked down and focussed on it, wondering where Horatio had got to.

"Nathan said I was lucky, don't get me wrong, I hurt like hell but I feel really good. I'm okay, the only damage I did was creating a larger fracture in my skull, nothing serious." She smiled naturally, sweetly. He began to involuntarily chuckle as he shook his head.

"I can't believe you used 'creating a larger fracture in my skull' and 'nothing serious' in the same sentence…" Eric smiled at her and she giggled as he looked back up at him.

"Well, it's not really." She said softly and Eric let out another involuntary chuckle as he furrowed his brow.

"You're unbelievable, you know that, don't you?" He smiled at her sweetly, leaning on the desk again.

"I like to think that I'm pretty believable actually." She said softly, looking up at him sweetly, fiddling with the pen more vigorously.

"No, I mean… oh never mind." He said softly as he looked down with a smile.

"You mean what?" She asked softly as she tilted her head, confused.

"I mean that I'm astonished that you're so relaxed about having a skull fracture, jumping off a balcony and not thinking it's anything serious." He said softly and she nodded, finally understanding what he meant.

"Oh, I get you now." She said softly and Eric nodded with a smile. "Sorry, a little bit of a scatty moment." She said softly with a smile and he chuckled but soon stopped when he saw her anxiousness grow a little more. "Where'd Horatio go?" She asked as she turned around, dropping the pen back to the desk.

"He's gone to make a phone call." Eric said softly and she turned back to him and nodded. "We can go and find him if you want?" He asked when he saw her becoming uncomfortable and her need for him setting in. She nodded as she looked up at him with a shy smile. "Come on then." Eric said as he walked around the desk and placed his hand on her back and walked out with her. He could see her becoming increasingly nervous and continued to rub her back in hope that it'll ease her anxiousness. They walked up to his office and Eric knocked on Horatio's office door.

"2 minutes." Horatio said softly and then continued to talk on the phone. They could hear his muffled words on the phone.

"Horatio?" Zoë questioned.

"Come in." Horatio said once he heard her voice, he heard her anxiousness in her tone and they entered. He saw her nervousness immediately as she walked over to him and then wrapped her arms around his waist as he continued to talk on the phone.

"Okay?" Eric mouthed as he looked at Horatio and Horatio nodded as he placed his free hand on her back and began to rub. Eric quickly closed the office door as he walked back out. Zoë remained quiet while he was on the phone and just hugged him. Horatio hung up a few minutes later.

"Everything okay sweetheart?" Horatio questioned softly and she nodded against his chest as he looked down at her.

"I just wanted to hug you." She said softly and Horatio nodded and then kissed the top of her head.

"Shall we go and find Eric again?" Horatio asked and she nodded as she looked up at him with a sweet smile. He took a loose hold of her hand and then walked out with her. He saw her confidence rising once again as they walked through the lab.

"Eric, I've rung the prison and I'm going to go over there to have a talk with LeBrock, would you mind keeping Zoë company here while I take care of this?" Horatio asked softly as he rubbed the back of Zoë's hand lightly.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, H." Eric said as she hugged him again.

"I want to come with you." She said quietly as she looked up at him.

"The prison isn't a good place for you to be going yet Zoë, it's not very nice, it's worse than autopsy." Horatio said softly.

"I don't want you to leave me." She said as she looked up at him and he then nodded and saw why Eric was hesitant. '_Is this the separation anxiety that Nathan was talking about? Is she still feeling attached to me?'_ Horatio asked himself in his head. '_I can't take her to the prison, she might not like it, I don't know what's running through her head, she didn't even like autopsy the other day. I have to go and talk to LeBrock though.'_ He thought to himself as he ran his left hand through his hair and wrapped his right around her back.

"Eric, would you mind coming with us?" Horatio questioned and Eric shook his head.

"Not at all" Eric said softly with a sweet smile. They soon set off in one of the hummers, Horatio driving.

"You can wait in the hummer with Eric if you'd like?" Horatio questioned Zoë and she shook her head frantically as she looked at him and placed her hand on his thigh, furrowing her brow. "Okay sweetheart, you can't come in when I talk to LeBrock though, okay? You'll have to stay with Eric for a few minutes then." Horatio said softly and she nodded, a little happier, a little more relaxed. They pulled up and got out, then signed in and showed their badges. Horatio flashed Eric Zoë's phone from his pocket and then gestured to Zoë and Eric understood his silent message.

"I'll be back in a few minutes sweetheart, stay calm. Eric's with you." Horatio said softly and she nodded, then took hold of Eric's hand. Horatio gave him a small nod and turned away, happy to see Zoë using Eric for some comfort. Eric led her into an office where they could see Horatio taking a seat opposite Joe LeBrock in the interrogation room.

"He's just there on that TV screen Zoë." Eric said softly as he pointed to him and Zoë sat forwards and watched Horatio intensely after letting go of his hand. 5 minutes passed and Eric's eyes darted from Zoë to the screen, often making sure she was okay. The officers in the office often looked over to Zoë. Eric glared at them when they stared at her when she began to bite her lip. He knew they were checking her out, he knew they were caught under her invisible hold when she began to bite her lip. It was near impossible for anyone not to gaze at her when she bit her lip. Eric was now used to it, he wasn't affected when she bit her lip. She took a deep breath as she tried to push her growing need for Horatio back as she knew he needed to interrogate Joe LeBrock. She took hold of Eric's thigh subconsciously for comfort as she continued to watch. She looked round when she felt him push her hand up to his knee.

"Sorry Zoë." Eric said softly, hoping he wouldn't upset her, he knew she didn't mean to do it.

"No, I'm sorry Eric. I didn't mean to do that." She said as she quickly withdrew her hand and placed it in her lap and began to fiddle with her fingers.

"He'll be done soon, Zoë." Eric assured her as he pulled his phone out and began to quickly text. She nodded as she concentrated on the screen, studying the black and white footage. Her eyes never left Horatio.

"_Zoë's beginning to get nervous again."_ He quickly notified Horatio and then put his phone away to look back up at the screen. They watched him glance down at his phone and read the text, he then looked like he was wrapping up the interrogation. He began to get up when he turned back to Joe LeBrock again and leant on the table. Eric could see Horatio's stress and anger. Zoë began to hyperventilate as she began to panic while she tried her best to keep herself under control. Eric could see her anxiety through her hands, they were trembling as she constantly and vigorously fiddled with anything that came into contact with them, whether that was her hair, her other hand or her jacket.

"_H, I'd wrap up quickly, she's about to cry I think." _Eric quickly texted him and Horatio looked back down at his phone. Horatio quickly made his way out of the room after he received the text and walked into the office where Zoë and Eric were sat. He saw Eric rubbing her back as she looked up at him. She quickly got up and rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I hope you didn't cut the interrogation short because of me and my stupid problem?" She asked softly, hugging him tightly.

"No sweetheart, I was finished." Horatio said softly as he rubbed her back and looked at Eric. Eric nodded and then put his phone away. He looked over to the two other officers in the room as they stared at Zoë's ass. Horatio's eyes grew annoyed as he cleared his throat, causing both officers to look up at him. They both swallowed when they caught the fiery glare from Horatio and then looked in opposite directions and turned on their chairs to get on with some work.

"Come on sweetheart." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she looked up at him and then took his hand as she pulled away from him. They walked out with Eric following closely.

"Horatio, I touched Eric's thigh, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to." She blurted out as they walked over to the hummer when the guilt became too much for her.

"She was starting to panic." Eric said softly, wanting to make it clear that she didn't mean anything by it.

"He pushed my hand away and I then realised, I'm really sorry and I'm sorry Eric." Zoë said softly as she looked down at the floor.

"It's okay sweetheart, I know you didn't mean anything by it." Horatio said softly and she exhaled a sigh of relief and nodded as she looked back up at him.

"I had to tell you." She said softly and Horatio nodded with a calm expression and reassuring smile. "Sorry Eric." She said softly as she looked around to Eric.

"Don't worry about it Zoë." Eric said softly and she nodded and then hopped into the front as Horatio held the door open for her. Eric and Horatio then climbed in and did their seatbelts up after Horatio gave Eric a nod to signal that he was okay with what happened as he could see that Eric was being careful around him.

"Did you get anything, H?" Eric asked softly as they drove back.

"He was definitely a part of it, I'll have him restricted from seeing visitors and his time out of his cell restricted too. I'll have him monitored closely." Horatio said softly and Eric nodded. "But other than that, I've got nothing to actually charge him with. We've got to go on the evidence at the scene of the crime." Horatio said softly as he glanced to Eric in the mirror but mainly keeping his concentration on the road while he often looked over to Zoë.

"We've got nothing H, nothing at all." Eric said softly.

"If you can't find anything within the next couple of days, you'll have to close the case." Horatio sighed and Eric nodded, silently. Neither of them wanted to close the case, they knew that if it went unsolved, then the same thing could happen again. They got back to the lab and got out of the hummer.

"We're going to head back home now, we need some rest." Horatio said softly when he saw Zoë fatigued and hurting, not to mention very quiet. Eric gave them both a nod, looking at Zoë sympathetically. Horatio quickly shook his head at him and Eric frowned slightly as Zoë looked up at him. '_Thank heavens she didn't see his sympathetic look.'_ Horatio thought to himself.

"See you soon sweetie, I'm sorry and thank you." She said as she gently hugged him.

"See you both soon, I'll call if I find anything. H, do you have a phone yet?" Eric asked softly as they pulled from the hug as Eric looked over to Horatio.

"Not yet, I've not had a chance to get to the phone shop, contact me on the landline or on Zoë's phone." Horatio said softly and Eric nodded.

"Okay, see you later." He said softly and then walked in once they said bye. Horatio linked arms with Zoë and then walked back to the car with her.

"I need a hot bath, and soon." She sighed and Horatio nodded at her as they pulled off.

"We're running out of arnica gel, shall we stop off and pick some more up?" Horatio asked and she nodded. Once they were home Horatio sat on the edge of the bath and massaged the soap into her skin as she let out a few content moans as she laid in the hot water with her eyes closed.

"You're working wonders for my muscles and soothing those bruises." She said softly and he smiled as he concentrated on being gentle with her. She then swallowed and opened her eyes to look up at him. He looked at her as he put his hands back in the water to rid the soap from them as he picked up a plain pink wash cloth. "I don't understand why I panic when you're away from me for more than 5 minutes." Zoë said softly as she looked at him, wanting to have an answer for her irrational behaviour.

"Nathan said it's something like separation anxiety." Horatio said softly as his eyes focused on where he was washing the soap from.

"Like what dogs get with their owners?" She questioned a little shocked as she frowned at him.

"I guess it's like that, yes." Horatio said softly as he glanced up at her. "You should get over it Zoë, it's because we've been through major trauma and had head injuries. It's nothing to worry or stress about, it'll pass. I don't mind anyway sweetheart." Horatio assured her as he looked back down to her body and continued to wipe the wash cloth over her skin to wet it and remove the soap.

"But I know you're going to come back, I knew you were interrogating him and wouldn't be long. I knew you were just on the phone earlier, I don't understand why I panicked." She said softly, still confused.

"It's another head injury symptom sweetheart, it'll pass." Horatio assured her and she nodded and then sat up straight, feeling very relaxed.

"Thank you handsome, you and your hands may rest now, I feel really relaxed and I no longer feel achy and painful." She said softly and Horatio nodded and then stood up and held her towel out for her. She dried herself in the bedroom while Horatio went to collect the new tube of arnica gel and then came up.

'_I should probably apply this, she'll be too rough with herself and will end up hurting again.'_ He thought to himself as he entered the bedroom. "Sit down sweetheart." Horatio said softly before he crouched in front of her and then squeezed some of it onto his fingers and then handed it to her. He rubbed it into her legs while she rubbed it into her arms where the bruising was starting to really show. Horatio rubbed a lot into her knees as they were the worst on her legs. He knew that her arms weren't the main problem, it was her knees, especially her right knee and leg as well as her hips and chest. "Can you lay back for me sweetheart?" Horatio asked and she quickly did as he asked and he rubbed it into her hips where her hip bones were, then into her ribs and shoulders.

"I look absolutely battered." She said as she sat back up as Horatio stepped back and sighed as he agreed.

"You'll heal soon though sweetheart." Horatio said before he disappeared into the en-suite to wash his hands. Zoë then changed into her jogging bottoms and a t-shirt.

Joe visited that evening for a meal.

"I'll see you soon, you move down in a couple months, don't you?" She smiled as she stood at the door and hugged him loosely and he nodded. He only hugged lightly and then kissed her cheek as he pulled back.

"I will see you then, stay out of trouble for me please, I can't deal with anymore heart attacks and I'll have to start dying my hair if anything else happens." He said softly and she chuckled as she hugged Horatio's arm by his side.

"We'll try." She said softly with a beaming smile.

"Let me know how you get on at your appointment." Joe said softly and she nodded.

"Have a safe journey, let me know when you get back okay." She said softly and he nodded. She quickly hugged him again.

"Miss you already, love you." She said softly and then backed off.

"Right back at you." He said softly and she smiled.

"Take care, Joe." Horatio said as he shook his hand firmly.

"You too, both of you. I don't want a phone call to say that you're both unconscious after a car crash ever again. In fact, I don't ever want a call to say that either of you have been hurt ever again." He said softly and they nodded.

"We will definitely strive to keep that from happening, we didn't exactly like it either." She said softly and Joe smiled at her with a nod. "Night night Bunny" she said softly and he then left. She turned to Horatio and then walked upstairs with him. She climbed into bed while Horatio had a shower. He climbed into bed and then rolled over to her and gently put his arm over her stomach as he moved closer to her while she laid on her back, feeling more comfortable on her back than on her side. He rubbed her stomach and kissed her neck once they'd settled down. She then felt him rub her foot with his.

"I'm really sorry Horatio, I would love to make love to you right now, but I hurt and I'm certain I'd need another bath to stop myself from aching." She said softly as she placed her hand over his. '_I'm actually saying no to sex with Horatio. Am I crazy?'_ She thought to herself.

"That's fine beautiful." Horatio said softly and then kissed her neck one more time and then relaxed back, resting his head on her pillow, lightly moving his fingertips over her side.

"We could try with you behind again, but I'm afraid of having to stop half way through if I start to really hurt." Zoë said softly as she bit her lip and turned her head to him while she furrowed her eyebrows.

"We don't have to do anything sweetheart; laying here with you is perfect as it is. But if you're hurting, you should take some painkillers." Horatio said softly and she nodded as she slowly sat up. He released her from his arm, thinking she needed the loo.

"I think you're right." She said softly, he was slightly shocked that she'd agreed, but knew she was in quite a bit of pain and discomfort if she was agreeing to take painkillers. She quickly took two tablets and then laid back.

"Is the appointment with Nathan tomorrow or the day after?" Zoë asked softly as she looked at him while he placed his arm back over her stomach.

"The day after." Horatio said softly and she nodded.

"Okay, thank you." She said softly as she kissed him on the lips lightly.

They fell asleep after saying their goodnight's and spent the next day relaxing together. The next day, they drove over to the hospital and walked up to Nathan's office, they entered when he asked them too.

"I can wait outside if you want sweetheart." Horatio said softly.

"No, I'd prefer it if you were here." She said softly and then sat in front of Nathan on the seats.

"How are you doing?" Nathan asked with a genuine smile as he leant forwards on the desk.

"Really well thank you, I think Horatio can vouch for that too – I've not had an outburst since, nor have I been difficult when eating or dressing." She said softly and Nathan nodded, happy to hear it. "I've had a little difficulty with Horatio leaving me though." She said softly and Nathan nodded.

"Okay sweet, how are you feeling in yourself?" He asked softly as he wrote a few things down.

"Really well thank you, the only time when I feel like I'm not improving is when I'm panicking about Horatio being too far from me." Zoë said softly as she took Horatio's hand in hers and began to play with his fingers.

"That should pass." He said softly and Zoë nodded as she glanced to Horatio with a small sweet smile.

"How are you physically? Are you hurting severely?" He asked softly as he leant back on his desk, ready to observe her body language to make sure she wasn't lying to him when she answered.

"I'll admit that I do hurt, but it's bearable. My head seems to hurt the most, but that's only when I accidently knock it or when I'm washing my hair or if I move too fast. My hips can be a little stiff as can my shoulders. But nothing is really bad." She said softly and Nathan nodded.

"That's to be expected sweet, are you taking your painkillers?" He asked softly. '_I bet she hasn't touched them.'_ Nathan thought to himself.

"I've had some, but I'm not taking them regularly, I never like to take them regularly, only if I really need them. I don't need them too often." She said softly as Horatio began to play with her fingers to calm her mild nerves.

"That's what I like to hear. Are they strong enough?" He asked softly and she nodded confidently. "Have you had any restrictions because of the pain?" Nathan asked and she looked down as Horatio looked to her. Nathan then sat forwards and knew something was up. "You can talk to me Zoë, I assume it was something personal?" He asked and she nodded as she glanced back up at him.

"I just didn't want to get intimate as I knew I'd hurt. Well, I wanted to, but I didn't want to hurt and I didn't want to build Horatio up only to stop at the last minute if I hurt too much." She said softly and Nathan nodded. "But that's it." She said softly as she placed her hand on Horatio's thigh. He was a actually happy she'd brought it up with Nathan, for once he didn't feel embarrassed when the word intimacy was mentioned.

"Are you sure you don't want stronger painkillers?" Nathan asked softly as he wrote a few more notes down again.

"I'm sure, I'd be less inclined to get intimate if I was high off my face on painkillers anyway. Even if I've had paracetamol I only like to relax. I don't like taking them Nathan. I don't like doing anything when I'm on painkillers." She said a little more firmly and he nodded, noticing that he'd struck a chord.

"Okay, I was just offering." He said softly as he raised a hand in submission and gave her a gentle expression as Horatio placed his hand over hers.

"I'm sorry Nathan." She said softly as she looked down to her hand on Horatio's thigh with a sigh.

"They wouldn't make you high off your face anyway, Zoë." Nathan chuckled as he looked back up to her from the file in front of him.

"Well, the ones you've given me make me feel quite euphoric and floaty. So if they were any stronger I'd think they'd knock me out." She said softly with a shy smile as she looked back to him and bit her lip lightly.

"Ah okay sweet, I forget that your tolerance is quite low when it comes to painkillers. Most people knock so many normal painkillers that what you're taking now just touches the small aches and pains." He said softly and she nodded with the shy smile. "How often on average do you take painkillers, if you don't mind me asking?" Nathan said curiously as he sat back.

"On average between 2 and 4 ibuprofen tablets every 3 months, that's for stomach cramps when I get my period. Sometimes I don't take them though as the stomach cramps don't hurt at all, but at most I'll take 2 a month if I have my period monthly." She said softly and Nathan nodded as he sat forwards again.

"Not much at all then." He said softly and Zoë nodded.

"Okay sweet, if you don't mind hopping up onto the bed and letting me get a look at your head and bruises I'd be most grateful." He said softly and she nodded. He quickly looked her over and seemed happy.

"Just a few more questions and I'll be done." Nathan said softly and she nodded with a smile as she sat back next to Horatio. He asked her some basic questions assessing her mental ability and stability.

"I'm happy to let you back to work, mentally wise, however, I advise against it for a couple more days as you're still quite bruised and hurting. Not to mention stiff, you've also got this attachment with Horatio still, I could see that you were even panicking a little when we were just over there, so how you'll cope being separate from him most of the day at work could be a problem. But you may improve before then. Then again, going back to work may help you because you'll be focussing on other things. I can't say don't go to work, I can't stop you. But my advice is that you should take a few more days off just to really recover." Nathan said softly and they nodded. '_There is no way she's going to listen to him, she'll be back tomorrow.'_ Horatio thought to himself as he glanced over to her.

"Thank you Nathan." She smiled, he smiled back and Horatio then thanked him.

"If you have any problems, call me." He said softly as he got up and shook Horatio's hand. They both nodded and Zoë hugged him gently.

"See you soon sweetie, thank you." She thanked him. He gave her a smile and then showed them to the door. Zoë linked arms with Horatio and walked down the corridor, happy.

"I think I will take his advice and stay home for a couple more days." Zoë said softly and he looked round to her shocked.

"Don't look so shocked." She smiled at him.

"Well, I think that may be the first time you've agreed and listened to Nathan, I have to be shocked." Horatio boyishly smiled at her and she giggled. They arrived home, happy and stayed home together for a few more days until Zoë was happy enough to go back to work. She managed to focus and cope without panicking about being apart from Horatio, she was happy with her recovery and felt 100%. Horatio was also feeling very good in himself, he struggled with the thought of not having Emily and Olivia around a little more than Zoë, but she got him through it without even knowing it herself. Things once again, looked up for the both of them.

The End

**Thank you all for reading and especially those who have reviewed! Next story - "Broken Promises".**


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